L.
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.154703
Element CodePPASP02180
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumFilicinophyta
ClassFilicopsida
OrderFilicales
FamilyAspleniaceae
GenusAsplenium
SynonymsCamptosorus rhizophyllus(L.) Link
Other Common NamesDoradille ambulante (FR) Walking Fern (EN) walking fern (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 (2023) accept Asplenium rhizophyllum. Asplenium rhizophyllum is one of the diploid progenitors of the reticulately evolved Appalachian Asplenium complex and is a parent species (with A. montanum) of the fertile allotetraploid species A. pinnatifidum (FNA 1993, vol. 2, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2023).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 Date2023-09-27
Change Date1984-02-09
Edition Date2023-09-27
Edition AuthorsGeoffrey Hall (1998), rev. C. Nordman (2023).
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank ReasonsWalking-fern Spleenwort (Asplenium rhizophyllum) occurs in eastern North America, from southern Québec and New Hampshire west to northern Michigan, Wisconsin, and southeastern Minnesota, and south to Alabama, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. It is estimated that there are more than 1800 occurrences rangewide, including on on various National Forests, and in National Parks and other National Park Service lands, State Forests, State Parks, State Wildlife Management Areas and other conservation lands in eastern North America. Threats include fragmentation and loss of habitat due to development or quarrying for limestone or dolomite, and loss of forest canopy, such as from large clearcuts without retention of trees where these ferns occur.
Range Extent CommentsWalking-fern Spleenwort (Asplenium rhizophyllum) also known, simply as Walking fern, occurs in eastern North America, from southern Québec and New Hampshire west to northern Michigan, Wisconsin, and southeastern Minnesota, and south to Alabama, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. Range extent was estimated to be 2.3 million square kilometers, using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1992 and 2023 (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 1993, GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2023).
Occurrences CommentsBy applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations of Asplenium rhizophyllum documented between 1992 and 2023, it is estimated that there are more than 1800 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023).
Threat Impact CommentsThreats include fragmentation and loss of habitat due to development or quarrying for limestone or dolomite, and loss of forest canopy, such as from large clearcuts without retention of trees where these ferns occur.