hen-and-chickens

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• hen-and-chickens
• mother fern

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Asplenium bulbiferum var. laxum
• Asplenium canterburiense
• Asplenium fabianum
• Asplenium laxum
• Asplenium marinum var. bulbiferum
• Asplenium tremulum
• Caenopteris bulbifera
• Chamaefilix bulbifera
• Asplenium bulbiferum var. pinnatum
• Asplenium bulbiferum var. tripinnatum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Polypodiinae and the order Polypodiales, it is classified under the family Aspleniaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Asplenium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is primarily located within the various regions of New Zealand, including the North Island and the South Island. Its presence extends further to the Antipodean Islands and the Chatham Islands, showcasing a broad reach within the New Zealand archipelago. Beyond these territories, the species also inhabits the Northwestern Pacific region. Specifically, it can be found growing in the Mariana Islands. Together, these locations define the unique geographical range of Asplenium bulbiferum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Asplenium bulbiferum is characterized by its ability to thrive in diverse environmental conditions, though it maintains a strong affinity for coastal regions where salt spray and maritime influences shape the surrounding landscape. In these coastal habitats, the plant often colonizes moist, shaded areas such as cliff faces, rock crevices, and the edges of maritime forests, where it can access stable moisture levels and protection from direct, intense sunlight. Beyond the coast, its ecological range extends to various forest ecosystems, including lowland and montane rainforests, where it occupies the understory or epiphytic niches on trees. The species is well-adapted to high-humidity environments with consistent rainfall, utilizing its specialized bulbils to facilitate vegetative reproduction in stable microclimates. Its presence is often indicative of nutrient-rich, damp substrates, and it plays a functional role in these ecosystems by contributing to the ground cover and moisture retention of the forest floor or rocky substrates.

Habitat :

Coastal

Life history

The life history of Asplenium bulbiferum is characterized by its classification as a hemicryptophyte, a growth form where the perennating buds are located at the soil surface or just beneath it, protected by leaf litter or organic debris. This plant exhibits an evergreen deciduousness, meaning it maintains its foliage throughout much of the year, providing continuous photosynthetic activity and structural presence within its ecosystem. As a hemicryptophyte, it effectively manages seasonal environmental shifts by sheltering its vital reproductive structures at the ground level, ensuring its survival through varying climatic conditions.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Morphology

The morphology of Asplenium bulbiferum is characterized by its growth habit as a self-supporting, non-woody fern. It is a terrestrial species, typically found growing in soil rather than in aquatic or semiaquatic environments. The plant functions as an independent organism, exhibiting no parasitic tendencies, and is not an epiphyte, maintaining its primary presence on the ground. Its structure is defined by its non-woody tissues, which support its fronds without the development of true woody stems.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Asplenium bulbiferum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its metabolic processes and carbon fixation strategies within its ecological niche. The plant's vegetative structure is defined by substantial foliar dimensions, featuring a mean leaf width of 27.5 cm, a value that remains consistent across its minimum and maximum measurements at 27.5 cm. Furthermore, the leaf architecture exhibits significant elongation, reaching a maximum leaf length of 120 cm. This combination of broad leaf width and extensive length facilitates an optimized surface area for light interception, supporting its energy requirements through its C3 metabolic framework.

Leaf length max:

120 cm

Leaf width mean:

27.5 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Asplenium bulbiferum is characterized by a multifaceted approach that includes both sexual and asexual mechanisms. Asexual reproduction is present in this species, notably through the formation of bulbils on the fronds, which allows for vegetative propagation. Regarding its sexual cycle, the plant relies on abiotic pollination syndromes, utilizing environmental factors rather than biological vectors to facilitate the movement of spores. Once spores are released, the dispersal syndrome is predominantly anemochorous, meaning the spores are dispersed by the wind to colonize new habitats. This anemochorous strategy is consistent across its dispersal patterns, ensuring that the microscopic spores can travel significant distances through air currents to establish new individuals.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Pollination syndrome :

water

Pollination syndrome :

abiotic

Reproduction asexual :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Asplenium bulbiferum has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Sodium monofluoroacetate.

Sodium monofluoroacetate

1. Ecotoxicology (London, England)