Delta maidenhair fern
A fern with water-repellent, elegant fronds.
Delta maidenhair fern has got its name because of its water-repellent leaves. Even in rainy weather, the leaves do not get wet because the water slides off the surface. This quality, as well as the elegant appearance of the plant, evidently led botanists of the past to think of the foam-born Venus rising from the sea with dry hair.
Delta maidenhair is often grown in greenhouses, and the plant has some economic importance because it is used as a decorative green in flower bouquets.
On the underside of the leaves, you can see the plant's sporangia, which are tucked under a flap of the bent leaf edge.
Facts:
- Greenhouse location: Mediterranean House
- Danish name: Almindelig venushår
- Latin name: Adiantum raddianum
- Family: Maidenhair fern family / Pteridaceae
- Natural habitat: Tropical America and the Caribbean