Botanical Overview
Ebony Spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron) is a species in the Aspleniaceae family. This species belongs to the Aspleniaceae family, a group of flowering plants. Further research is needed to document the medicinal properties of this species.
General Description
It takes its common name from its dark, reddish-brown, glossy stipe and rachis, which support a once-divided, pinnate leaf. The fertile fronds, which die off in the winter, are darker green and stand upright, while the sterile fronds are evergreen and lie flat on the ground. An auricle at the base of each pinna points towards the tip of the frond. The dimorphic fronds and alternate, rather than opposite, pinnae distinguish it from the similar black-stemmed spleenwort.
Research Status
This species has not been extensively studied for medicinal properties. The limited documentation available for this species represents an opportunity for ethnobotanical research.