Asplenium

Another large genus of ferns, around 650 across the world. Evergreen fronds, which can be leathery or tough. The sori (containing spores to produce new plants) are often attractive in the own right. On the undersides of the fronds, they form elongated or linear patches, an orange-brown, in contrast to the otherwise vibrant green. Preferring a shady spot, in a reasonable soil, but the hart's tongue fern will take a sunnier spot and survive, but maybe not thrive.

In common with most ferns, this genus has few specific wildlife values. However, the native hart's-tongue fern and probably its cultivars do support a couple of scarce species of leaf-mining micromoth.

 
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