Rusty-back

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Rusty-back
• Rustyback

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Ceterach officinarum
• Grammitis ceterach
• Gymnogramma ceterach
• Gymnopteris ceterach
• Hemidictyum ceterach
• Notolepeum ceterach
• Scolopendrium ceterach
• Vittaria ceterach
• Notolepeum ceterach

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. Following the subclass Polypodiinae and the order Polypodiales, it is a member of the family Aspleniaceae. It is specifically identified by the genus Asplenium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Asplenium ceterach, exhibits a wide-ranging distribution across various parts of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its presence is firmly established within the regions of Great Britain and Ireland. It can also be found growing in the northern territories of Sweden. Moving into Middle Europe, the species is documented to inhabit the landscapes of Austria. Additionally, its geographical reach extends to include parts of Belgium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Asplenium ceterach is characterized by its remarkable adaptability to diverse altitudinal gradients and specialized microhabitats. This species inhabits a broad elevational range, spanning from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to an impressive maximum of 2800 m AMSL, allowing it to persist across various climatic zones ranging from coastal environments to the alpine zone. Within these elevations, it specifically colonizes rock crevices that are exposed to direct sunlight, utilizing these sheltered yet solar-exposed niches to establish itself within its broader landscape.

Elevational range max:

2800 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

rock crevices exposed to the sun, from sea level to alpine zone

Life history

The life history of Asplenium ceterach is characterized by its perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. Structurally, it functions as a hemicryptophyte, a life form where the perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or organic debris. This hemicryptophytic growth habit ensures its survival and ability to regenerate across successive years within its ecological niche.

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Asplenium ceterach is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb. This plant is a self-supporting species that does not function as a climber, liana, or vine. It maintains a relatively low profile, with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.05 m to a maximum of 0.2 m, resulting in a mean height of approximately 0.125 m. In terms of its ecological habit, the species is terrestrial rather than aquatic or epiphytic, and it functions as an independent organism rather than a parasite.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.2 m

Plant height mean:

0.125 m

Plant height min:

0.05 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Asplenium ceterach is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common metabolic strategy for managing carbon fixation in many temperate or shaded environments. The plant exhibits a mean leaf size of 4.96 cm², which contributes to its overall morphological structure. In terms of nutrient acquisition, it is classified as non-carnivorous, relying on traditional soil-based absorption rather than the trapping of insects. Furthermore, it maintains a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 189 cm²/g, a metric that reflects the efficiency of its leaf mass distribution in relation to its surface area for light interception and gas exchange.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf size mean:

4.96 cm²

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

189 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Asplenium ceterach is characterized by a strictly sexual process, as asexual reproduction is notably absent. The flowering cycle is concentrated in the mid-summer months, with the flowering period beginning in July and concluding in August. The plant utilizes an abiotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on wind to facilitate the transfer of genetic material. Following successful pollination, the plant produces a fruit categorized under the "other" type. For the distribution of its offspring, the species employs an anemochorous dispersal syndrome, utilizing wind as the primary mechanism to spread its reproductive units across the environment.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit type :

other

Pollination syndrome :

wind

Pollination syndrome :

abiotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Asplenium ceterach has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Malondialdehyde, Superoxide, nitric oxide.

Malondialdehyde

1. Biology

Superoxide

1. Natural product research

nitric oxide

1. Natural product research

Preparations

Asplenium ceterach has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous extract.

Aqueous extract

1. PloS one