Asplenium
/æsˈpliːniəm/noun
A genus of ferns, including spleenworts.
Did you know?Asplenium is tied to the old Greek name for a spleen-healing fern, and medieval herbal lore treated it as a plant with almost magical medicinal power.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
asplēnion
“A fern believed to be beneficial for the spleen”
Latin
Latin
asplēnium
“A borrowed plant name for spleenwort”
Modern Scientific Latin
Latin
Asplenium
“Genus name for spleenwort ferns”
Modern English
English
asplenium
“A genus of ferns in the spleenwort group”