Asplenium platyneuron aka Ebony Spleenwort

Asplenium platyneuron, commonly known as ebony spleenwort or brownstem spleenwort, is a compact, evergreen fern native to North America. It has dark reddish-brown, glossy stipe and rachis, supporting a once-divided, pinnate leaf. The fertile fronds are darker green and 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. This species can reproduce through proliferating buds and spores, allowing for rapid spread and colonization in various habitats. Ebony spleenwort is adaptable to different soil types and pH levels. It can hybridize with other spleenwort species, forming the "Appalachian Asplenium complex". This small fern has pinnate fronds with wing-like pinnae arranged alternately along the stem or rachis. The rhizome is narrow and bears black to dark brown scales. The stipe is shiny reddish-brown or blackish-brown and lacks wings. The leaf blade is linear to narrowly oblanceolate, shiny, and may have scattered hairs.