Asian common ladyfern is an East Asian fern that grows well on soil rich in copper, zinc, cadmium, and lead, where few other plants can survive. In Japan, its dense stands around mines have been taken as a sign of metal ore below. It does not grow wild in the United States.
Appearance
- Appearance
- Scales at the base of the leaf stalk are dark brown in the center with paler edges. On the underside, clusters have covers that are oval or bent like a hook.
- Growth form
- A deciduous fern that forms a clump of fronds up to about 20 in (50 cm) long from a short .
- Leaves
- The lance-shaped blade is twice-divided into small toothed segments, a lacy look typical of lady ferns.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Rocky mountain slopes
- Woodland shade
- Forest edges
- Old mine sites
- Range
- Native to Japan, Korea, northeastern China, and the Russian Far East. It is not native to the United States.
- Preferred conditions
- Grows from sunny rock crevices to shady woods, from lowlands up into the mountains, and even on piles of mine waste.
Life cycle
- Reproduction
- Spreads by spores produced on the undersides of the fronds.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
Culture and stories
- Culture and stories
- Because it takes up heavy metals, scientists study it as a possible plant for cleaning polluted soil: grow it, then harvest it to remove the metals.
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