Willd.
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.146315
Element CodePPASP020U0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumFilicinophyta
ClassFilicopsida
OrderFilicales
FamilyAspleniaceae
GenusAsplenium
Other Common Namesmountain spleenwort (EN)
Concept ReferenceKartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic CommentsFNA (1993, vol. 2), Kartesz (1994), and Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team (2024) accept Asplenium montanum. The generic placement of this taxon is in accordance with the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group I (2016).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2023-09-26
Change Date1986-11-18
Edition Date2023-09-26
Edition AuthorsNordman, C. (2023).
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank ReasonsMountain Spleenwort (Asplenium montanum) occurs in the Appalachian region of the eastern United States, from Massachusetts, southern Vermont and southern New York to Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, south to South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. It is considered to be common in the Appalachian region from Pennsylvania to Alabama. There are estimated to be more than 600 occurrences, including on various National Forests, National Parks and other National Park Service lands, State Parks, and other conservation lands. Threats include recreation impacts from rock climbing, and competition from invasive exotic plants such as Ailanthus altissima.
Range Extent CommentsMountain Spleenwort (Asplenium montanum) occurs in the Appalachian region of the eastern United States, from Massachusetts, southern Vermont and southern New York to Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, south to South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. There is an historical location in the Ozarks of Missouri. The range extent was estimated to be 742,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1992 and 2023 (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 1993, GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, NatureServe 2023, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2023).
Occurrences CommentsBy applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1992 and 2023, it is estimated that there are over 600 occurrences of Mountain Spleenwort rangewide (GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, NatureServe 2023).
Threat Impact CommentsThreats to Mountain Spleenwort (Asplenium montanum) include recreation impacts from rock climbing, and invasive exotic plants such as Ailanthus altissima (Tree of heaven) which forms dense stands and could outcompete A. montanum (Minicuci 2019).