Because the leaf repels water and the plant's native habitat is a wet environment, the generic name Adiantum comes from the Greek word adiantos, which means "unwetted."
The pudenda's hair following the fine, glossy, black petioles is referred to by both the specific and colloquial names.
This was formerly the most significant botanical component in Capillaire, a popular cough syrup that was used into the eighteenth century.
Description Petioles are tiny, fragile, black, and glossy on this perennial fern that grows 10-40 cm tall.
Pinnules fan-shaped and serrated, leaves oblong to narrowly triangular, delicately pinnate, sori reddishbrown on the underside of leaf tips.
Distribution - Great Britain, central and southern Europe are all home to this species.
Now available in temperate and tropical climates all around the globe.
Especially near the sea, in caves, wells, and on wet walls; cliffs, and chalky soils; but even up to 1300 meters.
Cultivation in the wild Cultivated as a pot plant in a loam and leaf mold mix: moist environment required.
Propagation is accomplished via division.
Constituents Mucilage; tannins; gallic acid: sugars; bitter ingredients of different kinds: capillarine: a very small amount of an essential oil.
