Gardner, Rhys Owen. 2013. Ferns and Herbs of Niue. Auckland, New Zealand

Asplenium laserpitiifolium Lam., kapihi

Gr. splen the spleen; ref. to supposed medicinal value; laserpitiifolium having (finely divided) leaves like the plant known to the Ancient Romans as serpicium (Ferula sp., Apiaceae).

Medium-sized terrestrial fern, abundant in older forest especially on rotting logs. Rhizome short, erect, scaly, the scales dark brown, narrow, clathrate, to c. 2 cm long. Fronds ± erect; stipe to c. 30 cm long, sparsely scaly near base. Lamina in basal part 3- to 4-pinnate, ovate, to c. 75 cm long. Pinnae us. 10–20 pairs, subsessile, acuminate towards apex, the ultimate pinnules elliptic-obovate, at first with a few small scales, margins entire, apices obtuse or truncate and toothed, base unequally cuneate. Sori shortly elongate along the veins, to c. 4 mm long, c. 1 mm wide; indusium linear, laterally attached.

Distribution
Indian Ocean (Seychelle Is.) to Malesia, Australia and Polynesia.