Green in Winter: Ebony Spleenwort

This little fern is native in northern Indiana, but it is not very conservative. It tends to show up in degraded sites, often on sandy acid soil and steep, north-facing slopes. It also can be found in high quality sites. The stipe and rachis are black or purple, and each pinna bears a small auricle near its base. Asplenium platyneuron is usually dark green during the growing season but tends to be pale in winter.