Maidenhair

The Latin name of the genus is derived from the Greek α- - non-, without-, and διιινειν - moisturize, as water easily rolls off the plant, leaving it dry.

Small ground ferns with thin creeping rhizomes covered with matte brown or black scales.

Leaves next or opposite. Petioles dark, shiny, at the base also with scales. The lamina is broad, smooth, green, less often bluish, strongly dissected (once-many-pinnate), with fan-like obovate, trapezoid or wedge-shaped segments.

The sori with sporangia are round, oblong or linear, located along the veins on the lower side of the leaf segments and covered with a brownish, film-like false cover that represents a modified continuation of the marginal lobe of the leaflet.

Mostly tropical genus. There are two centers of species diversity - in the South American Andes and in East Asia (in particular, the Chinese flora has 39 species of the genus).

As a rule, species of the genus grow on rich, moist and at the same time well- drained soils; very characteristic of the rocks along the banks of the waterfalls.

In Russia, there are two species of the genus: Adiantum venerin hair ( Adiantum capillus-veneris L. ) and Adiantum stopoid ( Adiantum pedatum L. ). Both are among the most widespread species of the genus.

Adiantum venerin hair

In Russia, it is found in the lower mountain belt of the North Caucasus , in the mountains of the Crimea, outside of Russia it is widely distributed in Western Europe , the Mediterranean , in the mountains of Transcaucasia , Central Asia , Asia Minor , Africa , and North and Central America .

It grows along the banks of mountain rivers and streams, in rock crevices, at the seeping water, at waterfalls.

Stop-like adiantum

Within Russia it grows wild in the Far East (in Primorye and Priamurye , in the south of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands ). Found in deciduous and mixed forests. It is widely cultivated as a garden ornamental plant.

According to the information of The Plant List database (as of July 2016), the genus includes 171 species ^[3] .

• Adiantum venerin hair ( Adiantum capillus-veneris L. )
• Adiantum stopovidny ( Adiantum pedatum L. )

Species of the genus are already mentioned in the writings of Pliny the Elder . The similarity of their openwork foliage with curls gave the ancient physicians a reason to recommend these plants for hair treatment. In the Caucasus, they still wash their hair with this fern infusion to give it shine.

Chemical Composition

The leaves (vai steroids (stigmasterol, campesterin, etc.), phenol carboxylic acids and their derivatives, proanthocyanidins, essential oil.

Useful Properties

It has medicinal properties, the leaves are included in the pharmacopoeias of some countries in Western Europe. Aqueous extract exhibits antibacterial activity. Powder , infusion , decoction , syrup (independently and in collections ) - emollient, expectorant, for respiratory diseases, antipyretic.

In folk medicine, it is used for infections of the respiratory tract, diseases of the bladder , liver and spleen , and other diseases. In Indian medicine, leaves crushed into a paste are used as a wound healing agent, and their juice (mixed with honey) is used for gastralgia and respiratory infections , and a decoction of the leaves is used as a tonic. In medieval medicine in Armenia, a decoction of leaves was recommended for jaundice , urolithiasis , chronic fever , sciatica , juice (local) for malignant ulcers and as a detoxifying remedy for bites of rabid dogs, the ointment was used for eye diseases and scrofula . In Chinese medicine, a decoction of the leaves is used in the abuse of alcohol, tobacco, contains a lot of iodine .

Curly fern // Encyclopedic dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron : 86 tons. (82 tons and 4 extra.). - SPb. , 1890-1907.

• Adiantum (English) : information on the site GRIN .