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Asplenium ruta-muraria

Common name:	Wall Rue	Family:	Polypodiaceae
Author:	L.	Botanical references:	17, 200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	Although we have found no reports of toxicity for this species, a number of ferns contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable[200]. Many ferns also contain thiaminase, an enzyme that robs the body of its vitamin B complex. In small quantities this enzyme will do no harm to people eating an adequate diet that is rich in vitamin B, though large quantities can cause severe health problems. The enzyme is destroyed by heat or thorough drying, so cooking the plant will remove the thiaminase[172].
Range:	Most of Europe, including Britain, Mediterranean, N. and S. Asia to the Himalayas, E. North America.
Habitat:	Old walls and basic rocks in hilly areas[7, 17].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	A. rutamuraria[H] Salvis vitae[H]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Duvar Sedefotu [E], Muurvaren [D], Ruda De Muros [E], Sabe'Al Ardh [E], Tentwort [H], Wall Rew [E], Wall Rue [H], Wall-rue [L,B], Wallrue [P], White Maidenhair [H],
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Polypodiales. Polypody family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	Britain Iraq Spain Turkey

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen fern growing to 0.1m by 0.15m at a slow rate. It is hardy to zone 6. It is in leaf all year, and the seeds ripen from July to October. We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

In Walls, In North Wall, In East Wall, In West Wall.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Astringent Deobstruent Emmenagogue Expectorant Ophthalmic.

The fronds are astringent, deobstruent, emmenagogue, expectorant and ophthalmic[4, 7, 240]. A distilled water made from the fronds has proved of benefit in the treatment of many eye complaints[7]. The plant is also considered to be useful in the treatment of coughs and ruptures in children[4]. It was at one time used as a herbal remedy for rickets[219] and its tannin content renders it suitable for stopping bleeding from small wounds[7]. The fronds are harvested in late spring and dried for later use[7].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Requires a well-drained position and lots of old mortar rubble in the soil[1]. Requires a humid atmosphere and some shade[28, 31]. A good plant for growing on a shady part of an old dry-stone or brick wall[K], also succeeding in full sun[219].
A very ornamental fern[1], it is very tough but slow to establish[219].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].

Propagation

Spores - best sown as soon as they are ripe on the surface of a humus-rich sterilized soil. Keep the compost moist, preferably by putting a plastic bag over the pot. Germinates in spring[1]. Spring sown spores germinate in 1 - 3 months at 15° c[134]. Pot on small clumps of plantlets into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse. Keep the plants humid until they are well established. Once the plants are 15cm or more tall, plant them out into their permanent positions in the spring.
Division in spring.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[L] Scientific and Common Names (some photos) from Lepidoptera and some other life forms
[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[28] Knight. F. P. Plants for Shade. Royal Horticultural Society. 1980 ISBN 0-900629-78-9
A small but informative booklet listing plants that can be grown in shady positions with a few cultivation details.

[31] Brown. Shade Plants for Garden and Woodland.

[134] Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.

[172] Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[219] Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983 ISBN 0-00-219220-0
A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.

[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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