Department: ferns (Polypodiophyta).
Class: ferns (Polypodiopsida).
Procedure: millipedes (Polypodiales).
Family: pteris (Pteridaceae).
Sort by: maidenhair (Adiantum).
Type: maidenhair venus hair (A. capillusveneris).
Maidenhair hair venus is a widespread plant that is found on all continents except Antarctica. In this article, we will tell you where the maidenhair is located, introduce you to the description of the maidenhair – the venereum of the hair, interesting facts from the history of this plant and the biology of its development. We also suggest learning about the meaning and use of fern in culture and see a photo of the maidenhair – the venereum of the hair.
The distribution area of the maidenhair plant includes tropical, subtropical and temperate regions of Australia, Western Asia, Macronesia, Africa (including Madagascar), Southern and Western Europe, North and South America. It is not possible to establish a real historical homeland.
Where is the maidenhair
The maidenhair fern grows in shady and humid places on limestone rocks, often near streams, waterfalls, or even right in the rapids. In the Mediterranean, it is also found on sandstones and rhyolites, in Australia and South Africa – on alkaline soils. Old limestone walls, canal banks and other artificial structures willingly inhabit. In the UK, in the north of its range, it prefers to settle on the coast, where the air is warmer, but in other regions this trend has not been noticed.
Description of Venus hair colors
Hair Venus flowers are a perennial herb up to 30cm high. Rhizomes are creeping, scaly, up to 70 cm long. Many tenacious rhizoids depart from them, with the help of which the plant is fixed on the substrate. The frond is long-peaked, twice or thrice pinnately dissected, about 50 cm long. The rachis (stem) is black, thin, hard, like a wire, with outgoing light green wedge-shaped or fan-shaped segments up to 1 cm in length. Sori are formed along the edges of the leaves, on the underside.
The sori of the maidenhair are covered with the edges of the leaf blade, bent inward in the form of pockets. This protects the spores from moisture and premature germination.
The hair venus plant in culture reproduces mainly in a vegetative way – by dividing the rhizome. In nature, sexual and asexual reproduction by spores is also possible.
Spores are formed in the sori of a sporophyte plant, then ripen and fall on the ground. In a humid environment, a tiny gametophyte plant grows from them, on which female and male reproductive cells – gametes – are located. From the fusion of a pair of gametes, a zygote is formed, which grows into a new sporophyte – the main life form of the maidenhair.
The value and application of the plant maidenhair – hair venus
Maidenhair Venus hair: beautiful (A. formosum), tender (A. tenerum), foot (A. pedalum), Ruddy (A. raddianum) and some others are grown by humans for foliage. These are some of the most popular indoor, greenhouse and garden ferns, which, nevertheless, are very capricious. The maidenhair plant does not tolerate frost, bright sun, drying out of the soil, and with waterlogging it is easily affected by fungal diseases.
Adiantum hair veneer contains biologically active substances: flavonoids, triterpenoids, steroids, essential oil. Extracts, syrups, infusions and decoctions from its leaves have an expectorant and antipyretic effect. The species is listed in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.
The plant is also used in traditional Native American medicine. So, the Navajo Indians use an infusion of leaves as an external agent that helps against insect bites and millipedes, and mahogany drink it for rheumatism. It is believed that the smoke from the burning of the maidenhair drives away madness.
Interesting facts about fern hair venus
The Latin name adiantum is translated from Greek as “not wet”. Water droplets run freely over the frond’s surface, leaving it dry.
Fern hair venus in the language of flowers means all-embracing love; he is said to bring happiness to women. That is why the fragile graceful leaves of this plant are used in the preparation of wedding bouquets.
Despite the fact that the number of some populations of the maidenhair is declining, in most of the range, the fern is not seriously threatened. In addition, it is protected in Croatia and Canada.
