Adiantum or Maidenhair Fern is a genus of about 200 species of ferns. The name Adiantum means "not wetting" in Greek, referring to the fronds' ability to shed water. Maidenhair fern has dark, often black stipes and rachises, and bright green, often delicately-cut leaf tissue. They prefer humus-rich, moist, well-drained sites, ranging from bottomland soils to vertical rock walls. Many species are especially known for growing on rock walls around waterfalls and water seepage areas.
The highest species diversity of Adiantum is found in the Andes in South America. A fairly high diversity also occurs in eastern Asia, with nearly 40 species in China. Two species are commonly native to the eastern United States, with one of these common to western Europe. The deciduous five-finger fern (Adiantum pedatum) is a distinctively American species, with a highly distinctive frond form. It grows from sub-arctic North America into the deep south of the U.S. The other American species, which also grows in Europe, is the Venus-hair fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris). This fern is strictly a southern species in the U.S., and in Europe is confined to the mild, humid Atlantic fringes, including the west of the British Isles. A species in the western United States, specifically California, is Caifornia Maiden Hair (Adiantum jordanii).
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