ASPLENIACEAE - SPLEENWORT FAMILY
Scientific Description:
Terrestrial, epipetric, or epiphytic, subcosmopolitan,but most numerous in the tropics. Rhizomescreeping, ascending, or suberect, bearing clathrate scalesat apices and petiole bases (and sometimes other axes);petioles with back-to-back C-shaped vascular strands,these fusing distally into an X-shape; blades monomorphic,usually lacking acicular hairs on axes and/or lamina,often with microscopic clavate hairs; veins pinnate orforking, usually free, infrequently reticulate and thenwithout included veinlets; sori elongate (linear) along theveins, not usually back-to-back on the same vein, usuallywith laterally attached, linear indusia; sporangialstalks long, 1-rowed; spores reniform, monolete, with adecidedly winged perine.
Reference:
Smith AR & all. (2006). Aspleniaceae, In: A classification for extant ferns, Taxon 55(3): 715.
Public Description:
“Spleenwort family” is native to western North America, Europe, and Asia. Although they have vascular systems as seen in flowering plants, they produce spores instead of seeds to reproduce. Most species of this family are characterized by the lines formed by sporangia communities that lie along the veins of the leaves and are covered with a superficial tissue cover.The species in this family have a large variety of leaf forms; leaves may be undivided or divided up to 4 times.
References:
Anonymous 1 (2018).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspleniaceae,Accessed date: 06.02.2018.
Anonymous 2 (2018).https://www.britannica.com/plant/fern/Evolutionary-development#ref500696,Accessed date: 06.02.2018.
Anonymous 3 (2018).https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/search/?q=+ASPLENIACEAE+,Accessed date: 06.02.2018.
