English: Mother spleenwort; Hen and chicken fern.
Māori: Pikopiko; Mouku; Mauku.
Clades: Neottopterioideae;
Aspleniaceae;
Aspleniidae;
Pteridophyta;
Plants.
Region: Australia, New Zealand
Habitat: terrestrial or epiphytic; bush areas; shade to partial sunlight; on riversides, in lowland, lower montane forest in New Zealand; intolerant of real frost; prefers moist humus-rich soil, semi-shade.
Content: thiaminase.
Ecology: rarely troubled by browsing deer.
Use: root and young leaves, cooked, as food, taste of bitter asparagus; medicine; ornamental.
BotanyFern; evergreen; 30 cm tall.
Root: short, ascending rhizome.
Leaves: erect to arching; up to 120 cm long, 30 cm wide; in clusters.
Reproduction: small bulbils on top of the leaves, falling off when ± 5 cm tall, growing into new ferns.
TaxonomyAsplenium is divided into 11 clades in 2020.