Asplenium ritoense (尖葉鐵角蕨)

Asplenium ritoense is in the genus Asplenium and the family Aspleniaceae and is native to Taiwan, southern China, South Korea, Japan, Ryukyu. In Taiwan, it is common and distributed in the middle-altitude areas of the whole island, and also distributed in the northern low-altitude areas due to the phenomenon of climatic northward decline. It is a terrestrial or lithophyte fern , growing in shade place under the forest, on soil slopes or rock walls rich in humus. The tip of its blade is long and acuminate so it is called '尖葉鐵角蕨' in Chinese and it is its characteristics. In addition, its petiole, rachis and pinna rachis are all winged and can also be the distinguished features.

Asplenium ritoense

（2019.3.13 Taiwan）

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About Asplenium ritoense

◆	Classification: Genus Asplenium, Family Aspleniaceae
◆	Scientific name: Asplenium ritoense Hayata
◆	Common Name:
◆	Chinese name: 尖葉鐵角蕨、骨碎補鐵角蕨
◆	Origin: Taiwan, South China, Korea, Japan and the Ryukyus
◆	Growth environment: Distributed in the mid-altitude areas on the shaded and humus-rich soil slopes or rock walls
◆	Growth habit: Terrestrial or lithophyte
◆	Hight: 20-40 cm
◆	Rhizome: Short, erect, apex densely scaly
◆	Frond
	》	Tufted
	》	Stipe: 5-20 cm long, green, winged, densely covered with lanceolate scales at base, scales with marginal spines
	》	Blade →Ovate to deltoid, tripinnatifid to 4-pinnatifid, apex long and attenuate →15-30 cm long, 10-20 cm broad →coriaceous →rachis winged
	》	pinnae →pinnae and pinnules petiolate; finely dissected; segments about 3 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide →pinna stalk short →pinna rachis winged →end lobe 0.3 cm long, 0.1 cm broad
	》	Veins free, apex does not reach leaf margin, single vein on each lobe
◆	Sori
	》	Sori oblong to linear, born on the veins of end lobes
	》	Indusium linear, one per segment

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Asplenium ritoense is native to Taiwan, South China, Korea, Japan and the Ryukyus, distributed in the mid-altitude areas on the shaded and humus-rich soil slopes or rock walls.

Asplenium ritoense

（2018.3.28 Taiwan）

It is terrestrial or lithophyte.

Asplenium ritoense

（2018.3.28 Taiwan）

Plant height 20 to 40 cm.

Asplenium ritoense

（2018.3.28 Taiwan）

Rhizome Short, erect, apex densely scaly.

Rhizome of Asplenium ritoense

（2018.3.28 Taiwan）

Fronds Tufted. Stipes 5-20 cm long,  densely covered with lanceolate scales at base, scales with marginal spines.

Stipes of Asplenium ritoense

（2018.3.28 Taiwan）

The stipes are green.

Stipe of Asplenium ritoense

（2019.3.13 Taiwan）

The stipes are winged.

Stipe of Asplenium ritoense

（2018.3.28 Taiwan）

Blade coriaceous, ovate to deltoid, 15-30 cm long, 10-20 cm broad.

Blade of Asplenium ritoense

（2019.3.13 Taiwan）

Blade tripinnatifid to 4-pinnatifid, apex long and attenuate.

Blade of Asplenium ritoense

（2022.9.30 Taiwan）

Rachis winged.

Rachis of Asplenium ritoense

（2022.9.30 Taiwan）

Pinnae and pinnules petiolate; finely dissected.

Pinnae of Asplenium ritoense

（2019.3.13 Taiwan）

Pinna rachis winged.

Pinnae of Asplenium ritoense

（2022.9.30 Taiwan）

End lobe 0.3 cm long, 0.1 cm broad.

Pinnae of Asplenium ritoense

（2019.3.13 Taiwan）

Veins free, apex does not reach leaf margin, single vein on each lobe.

Veins of Asplenium ritoense

（2018.3.28 Taiwan）

Fiddlehead of Asplenium ritoense.

Fiddlehead of Asplenium ritoense

（2018.4.35 Taiwan）

Sori oblong to linear, born on the veins of end lobes.

Sori & indusium of Asplenium ritoense

（2022.9.30 Taiwan）

Sori & indusium of Asplenium ritoense

（2018.3.28 Taiwan）

Indusium linear, one per segment.

Sori & indusium of Asplenium ritoense

（2018.3.14 Taiwan）

Sori & indusium of Asplenium ritoense

（2019.3.13 Taiwan）