Bradley's spleenwort is highly specialized and is often referred to as an "Appalachian spleenwort".
( Asplenium bradleyi ) is a rare, small evergreen fern found primarily in the east-central United States. Named after Professor Frank Howe Bradley, who first discovered it in Tennessee in 1871, it typically thrives in the specialized, harsh environment of acidic rock crevices on sandstone or granite cliffs. Key Characteristics & Identification
: The frond consists of 6 to 14 pairs of triangular, toothed leaflets. The lowest pair are often the largest, and they gradually decrease in size toward the tip.
: It is found from New Jersey and Pennsylvania south to Georgia and Alabama, and west into the Ozarks of Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
: It prefers very acidic, thin soil (pH 3.5–5.0) in exposed, often sunny rock fissures. Because it thrives in such hostile conditions where other plants cannot grow, it faces little competition from more aggressive species. Conservation Status
: Major threats include habitat destruction from quarrying and mining, mechanical disturbance from rock climbing, and overshading caused by invasive vines or tree growth.
: On the underside of mature fronds, you can find small, rusty-brown clusters called sori, which produce spores between June and December. Unique Hybrid Origins
Bradley's spleenwort - Illinois Department of Natural Resources
