Nephrolepis biserrata

(Swartz) Schott

Gen. Fil. plate 3. 1834.

Common names: Giant sword fern
Basionym: Aspidium biserratum Swartz J. Bot. (Schrader) 1800(2): 32. 1801
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 2.

Stem scales loosely appressed to spreading, concolored or bicolored with pale margins. Tubers absent. Leaves 2–22 × 0.3–3.5 dm. Petiole 0.2–5.4 dm, sparsely to moderately scaly; scales spreading, reddish to light-brown throughout (rarely with pale margins). Blade sparsely to densely scaly, glabrous or pubescent, hairs mostly on veins and abaxial, pale to light-brown, 0.2–0.7 mm. Rachis 1.8–17 dm, points of pinna attachment 7.5–35 mm apart; scales moderately spaced, pale-brown throughout. Central pinnae narrowly deltate to narrowly elliptic-lanceolate, 2.5–23 × 0.5–2 cm, base cuneate, truncate to auriculate-cordate acroscopically, rounded basiscopically, acroscopic lobe small and oblong or absent, margins biserrate to serrulate, apex attenuate; costae adaxially glabrous or densely hairy, hairs erect, pale, 0.3 mm. Indusia circular to horseshoe-shaped, peltate or attached at narrow sinus, 0.8–1.1 mm wide. 2n = 82.


Habitat: Terrestrial or less commonly epiphytic in forested, relatively wet habitats, e.g., swamps, but occasionally thickets, roadsides, or clearings
Elevation: 0 m

Distribution

V2 136-distribution-map.gif

Fla., Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Africa, se Asia

Discussion

Some forms of Nephrolepis biserrata closely resemble N. multiflora in pinna shape and indument but lack the distinctively transparent-margined (i.e., bicolored) and persistent petiole scales of the latter species. Nephrolepis multiflora also has more appressed and darker-colored stem scales.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."/10lengthofblade" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

... more about "Nephrolepis biserrata"
attenuate +
expanded +  and minute +
Clifton E. Nauman +
(Swartz) Schott +
rounded +, truncate +  and auriculate-cordate acroscopically +
Aspidium biserratum +
simple to commonly +
indeterminate +
pubescent +, glabrous +  and scaly +
narrowly elliptic;linear-lanceolate +
reduced +
herbaceous;papery +
roundish +
2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br /> (23 cm230 mm <br />0.23 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
Giant sword fern +
hairy +  and glabrous +
Fla. +, Mexico +, West Indies +, Central America +, South America +, Africa +  and se Asia +
often +  and glabrous +
not continuous +
Terrestrial or less commonly epiphytic in forested, relatively wet habitats, e.g., swamps, but occasionally thickets, roadsides, or clearings +
multicellular +
pale;pale;light-brown +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.02 cm0.2 mm <br />2.0e-4 m <br />) +
circular;horseshoe-shaped +
0.08 cm0.8 mm <br />8.0e-4 m <br /> (0.11 cm1.1 mm <br />0.0011 m <br />) +
monomorphic +
evergreen +
biserrate to serrulate +
deciduous +
0.75 cm7.5 mm <br />0.0075 m <br /> (3.5 cm35 mm <br />0.035 m <br />) +
inequilateral +  and equilateral +
round +, cuplike +, hoodlike +, reniform +, falcate +  and linear +
2 +  and 3 +
pale-brown;reddish;light-brown +
persistent +
linear-lanceolate +
discrete +
reniform +  and oblong +
dictyostelic +, unbranched +  and branched +
ascending +  and erect +
bicolored +  and concolored +
adaxial +  and abaxial +
Nephrolepis biserrata +
Nephrolepis +
species +
underground +
anastomosing +  and simple +