Maidenhair Spleenwort

Spleenwort is a tiny fern that inhabits cracks and crevices in the limestone and establishes vigourous little colonies down there out of the wind. It grows everywhere in the Burren, not just on the limestone itself but anywhere it can find a toehold; it is frequently seen on walls of old churches and gravestones. It's worth getting down to ground level to examine these minature fern forests in detail.

Ralph Doyle