201.400 Asplenium L.

Epiphytic, lithophytic or terrestrial plants. Rhizome creeping, suberect or erect, short or long , often stoloniferous, with scales. Stipe not articulated to the rhizome; black, castaneous or greyish-green; hairless or with hairs or scales. Fronds monomorphic, widely spaced or tufted, simple to 4-pinnatifid; with or without a proliferous bud at or near the lamina apex; veins free or anastomosing at the margins. Sori linear (in ours), elongated and dorsally along a vein or shortened and near marginal; indusium narrow or rudimentary.

Derivation of name: a splen means without a spleen; it was thought that the plants could reduce an enlarged spleen.

Worldwide: c. 700 species, cosmopolitan.

Botswana: 1 taxon.