Southern maidenhair fern with the scientific name Adiantum capillus veneris, is a deciduous and clumping fern with a drooping habit which grows 12 to 18 inches tall and slowly spreads by short creeping rhizomes. It has bipinnate to tripinnate fronds with wiry and black stems which are distinctively arching to pendent. Small pinnae are fan-shaped with wedge-shaped bases and irregular loving at the apex. It resembles the appearance of the northern maidenhair fern except unforked fronds. Foliage is soft delicate and finely textured and attractive in woodland areas.

There are some eighty varieties of this plant, some of which grow abundantly in Canada and the United States. Maidenhair is perennial and is found in deep woods and moist, rich soil. This is a very delicate and graceful flowering fern growing from 12–15 in. high, with a slender, polished stalk. The leaves are aromatic and bitterish.

Medicinal uses

It helps to suppress cough, reduce phlegm, kill viruses, protect the liver, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, lower blood sugar level, treat respiratory tract diseases, stimulates menstruation and treat for hair loss.
Use it for treating leprosy, thyroid dysfunction, animal bites, and musculoskeletal disorders.
Use it externally for wounds, eczema, and boils.
In Iran, it is used as a traditional medicine for treating jaundice.
Use it externally as a poultice on snake bites and bee stings.
In Nepal, fronds paste is applied on the forehead to provide relief from headaches and also to relieve chest pains.

Facts About Southern maidenhair fern

Name	Southern maidenhair fern
Scientific Name	Adiantum Capillus-Veneris
Native	Native to the southern half of the United States from California to the Atlantic coast, through Mexico and Central America, to South America.
Common/English Name	Maiden Fern, Common Polypody, Maidenhair Fern, Southern Maidenhair Fern, Common maidenhair, Venus Maidenhair Fern, Venus’s Hair Fe
Name in Other Languages	English: Venus’s hair fern, Venus’s maidenhair, Common maidenhair, Common maidenhair fern, Maidenhair fern, Southern maidenhair, Venus hairfern, Southern maidenhair fern, Venus maidenhair fern, Venus’-hair fern; Danish: Ægte Venushår, Venushår; Dutch: Europees venushaar; Finnish: Venuksenhiussaniainen; French: Capillaire de Montpellier, Capillaire cheveux-de-Vénus, Cheveux de Vénus; German: Frauenhaarfarn, Venushaarfarn; Italian: Capelvenere commune; Spanish: Capilera, Adianto, Culantrillo de pozo; Gujarati: Hanspadi; Hindi: Hansraj, Mubaraka, Pursha; Kannada: Hansraj, Persian: Sirsiapeshane; Tamil: Seruppadai; Kashmir: Dumtuli; Urdu: Persia- ushan; Unani: Barsioshan, Kazbaratul Ber
Soil	Moist, humus rich
Plant Size	12-18 inches tall
Medicinal part	Leaves, rhizomes

Southern maidenhair fern Scientific Classification

Scientific Name: Adiantum Capillus-Veneris

Rank	Scientific Name & (Common Name)
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)
Subkingdom	Viridiplantae (Green plants)
Infrakingdom	Streptophyta (Land plants)
Superdivision	Embryophyta
Division	Tracheophyta (Vascular plants, tracheophytes)
Class	Polypodiopsida (Leptosporangiate ferns)
Subclass	Polypodiidae
Order	Polypodiales
Family	Pteridaceae (Maidenhair ferns)
Genus	Adiantum L. (Maidenhair fern)
Species	Adiantum capillus-veneris L. (Common maidenhair fern, venus hairfern, common maidenhair)
Synonyms	Adiantum affine Willd. Adiantum africanum R.Br. Adiantum capillaceum Dulac Adiantum capillus Sw. Adiantum capillus-veneris f. cristatum Moxley Adiantum capillus-veneris f. dissectum (M.Martens & Galeotti) Ching Adiantum capillus-veneris f. fissum (H.Christ) Ching Adiantum capillus-veneris f. rimicola (Sloss.) Fern. Adiantum capillus-veneris var. capillus-veneris Adiantum capillus-veneris var. dissectum (Mart. & Gal.) Ching Adiantum capillus-veneris var. dissectum Nayar Adiantum capillus-veneris var. fissum H.Christ Adiantum capillus-veneris var. kenyense Chiov. Adiantum capillus-veneris var. laciniatum H.Christ Adiantum capillus-veneris var. laciniatum H.Christ ex Tard. & C.Chr. Adiantum capillus-veneris var. modestum (Underw.) Fern. Adiantum capillus-veneris var. pinnata Bonap. Adiantum capillus-veneris var. protrusum Fern. Adiantum capillus-veneris var. rimicola (Sloss.) Fernald Adiantum capillus-veneris var. trifidum (Willd. ex Bolle) H.Christ Adiantum capillus-veneris var. trifidum (Willd. ex Bolle) Milde Adiantum coriandrifolium Lam. Adiantum cuneifolium Stokes Adiantum diaphanum var. affine (Willd.) Alderw. Adiantum emarginatum Bory Adiantum emarginatum Bory ex Willd. Adiantum fontanum Salisb. Adiantum fumarioides Willd. Adiantum lingii Ching Adiantum maderense Lowe Adiantum marginatum Schrad. Adiantum michelii Christ Adiantum modestum Underw. Adiantum moritzianum Link Adiantum paradiseae Bak. Adiantum pseudocapillus Fée Adiantum pubescens var. divaricatum Brack. Adiantum remyanum Esp.Bustos Adiantum remyanum Espinosa Adiantum repandum Tausch Adiantum rimicola Sloss. Adiantum schaffneri E.Fourn. Adiantum tenerum var. dissectum M.Martens & Galeotti Adiantum trifidum Willd. ex C.Bolle Adiantum visianii Schlöss. & Vukot

Bodily Influence

Pectoral, Demulcent, Tonic, Refrigerant, Expectorant.

Uses

Maidenhair has had a long and active life as a helpful agent for pectoral conditions of coughs resulting from colds, nasal congestion, or catarrh and hoarseness, bronchial disorders including shortness of breath, asthma, influenza, pleurisy, etc.

Dose

The infusion of 1–2 oz. to 1 pint of boiling water may be taken frequently in wineglassful doses. Culpeper tells us that it is also used in hair tonic preparations. Should be combined with supporting herbs for more effective results.

Culinary uses

Use the fronds as a garnish on sweet dishes.
Use the dried fronds to make tea.
Simmer the fern in water and make the liquid into thick syrup with sugar and orange water. Mix it with fruit juices.

References