Interesting Facts
Common Names
Common Names in English:
Boston Swordfern, Sword Fern
Description
Genus Nephrolepis
Plants
terrestrial
, epiphytic, or on rock. Stems ascending
to erect
, bearing wiry stolons and sometimes underground tubers. Leaves monomorphic
, evergreen
. Petiole
ca.
1/10--1/2 length
of blade
, base
not swollen; vascular bundles
more than 3, arranged in an arc, ± round
in cross
section
. Blade narrowly elliptic
to linear-lanceolate, 1-pinnate (to 4--5-pinnate in various cultivated forms), very gradually reduced distally to minute pinnatifid
apex, often seemingly indeterminate with apex never expanded, herbaceous to papery
. Pinnae articulate
to rachis, sometimes deciduous, segment (pinna) margins
entire, crenulate
, or biserrate
; proximal
pinnae (usually several pairs) slightly to greatly reduced, sessile, equilateral
or inequilateral
with basiscopic base excised and often an acroscopic
basal auricle
; costae adaxially grooved
, grooves
not continuous from rachis to costae; indument
of linear-lanceolate scales
and sometimes multicellular
hairs
on abaxial
and sometimes adaxial
surfaces. Veins free
, forked
. Sori ± round; indusia round-reniform and with deep sinus
to semicircular with broad sinus or lunate
without sinus and seemingly laterally attached, persistent
. Spores brownish, tuberculate
to rugose
. x
= 41.
Species 25--30: widespread in tropical
areas.
Nephrolepis often has veins ending in hydathodes and whitish lime-dots adaxially.
Cultivars of Nephrolepis occasionally are found in the wild, where they persist for some time. Numerous
forms of N. exaltata cv. `Bostoniensis' and its derivatives are widely cultivated, and the following are known from Florida: N. exaltata cv. `Bostoniensis', N. exaltata cv. `Elegantissima' complex
, N. exaltata cv. `Florida Ruffles', N. exaltata cv. `M. P. Mills'.[1]
Physical Description
Habit: Mounding
Flowers: Flower Conspicuous: None
Foliage: Finely divided fronds, arching • Foliage Shape: Linear • Normal foliage color: Green • Underside foliage: Green • Juvenile foliage: Green • Mature foliage: Green • New foliage: Green • Spring foliage: Green • Summer foliage: Green • Fall foliage: Green • Winter foliage: Green
Size/Age/Growth
Growth Rate: Fast Growing • Size: Fast-growing to 3 to 4 ft . high, spread indefinite.
Landscaping
Care: Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system . Feed frequently during growing season with a general purpose fertilizer . Cut back old fronds after new growth begins in spring .
Biology
Growth
Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Partial to full shade
Moisture: Water Requirements: Keep surface of soil moist, but not soggy.
Temperature: Heat Zones: High: 12 (>210 days) Low:1 (< 1 days) (map) • Cold Hardiness: High:11 (Above 40 F) Low:8 (10 to 20 F) (map)
Taxonomy
- Domain:
Eukaryota
(
)
- Whittaker & Margulis,1978
- eukaryotes
- Kingdom:
Plantae
()
- Haeckel, 1866
- Plants
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
()
- Cavalier-Smith, 1981
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
()
- Sinnott, 1935 ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998
- Vascular Plants
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
()
- Infraphylum:
Moniliformopses
()
- Kenrick & Crane, 1997, Nom. Nud.
- Class:
Polypodiopsida
()
- Cronquist et al.
- Order:
Polypodiales
()
- Link
- Family:
Lomariopsidaceae
()
- Alston
- Genus:
Nephrolepis
()
- Schott, 1834
- Boston fern [Greek nephros, kidney, and lepis, scale, in reference to shape of the indusia]
- Specific epithet:
exaltata
- (L.) Schott
- Subspecies:
cordifolia
- Botanical name: - Nephrolepis exaltata cordifolia (L.) Schott
- Subspecies:
cordifolia
- Specific epithet:
exaltata
- (L.) Schott
- Genus:
Nephrolepis
(
- Family:
Lomariopsidaceae
(
- Order:
Polypodiales
(
- Class:
Polypodiopsida
(
- Infraphylum:
Moniliformopses
(
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
(
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
(
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
(
- Kingdom:
Plantae
(
Similar Species
Members of the genus Nephrolepis
ZipcodeZoo has pages for 34 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus:
N. averyi (Avery's Swordfern) · N. biserrata (Giant Sword Fern) · N. biserrata 'Macho' (Macho Fern) · N. cordifolia (Boston Fern) · N. cordifolia var. Lemon Buttons (Button Sword Fern) · N. cordifolia 'Duffii' (Fishbone Fern) · N. cordifolia 'Timmii' (Timm's Petticoat Fern) · N. exaltata (Boston Fern) · N. exaltata cordifolia (Boston Swordfern) · N. exaltata var. bostoniensis (Boston Fern) · N. exaltata var. Fluffy Ruffles (Sword Fern) · N. exaltata var. Whitmanii (Boston Fern) · N. exaltata 'Aurea' (Golden Boston Fern) · N. exaltata 'Bostoniensis' (Boston Fern) · N. exaltata 'Bostoniensis Aureus' (Golden Boston Fern) · N. exaltata 'Fluffy Ruffles Upright' (Boston Fern) · N. exaltata 'Ruth' (Ruth Fern) · N. exaltata 'Shadow Lace' (Boston Fern) · N. exaltata 'Suzi Wong' (Boston Swordfern) · N. exaltata 'Tiger Fern' (Boston Fern) · N. falcata (Fish Tail Swordfern) · N. falcata 'Fancy Frill' (Fishtail Fern) · N. falcata 'Furcans' (Furcans Fishtail Fern) · N. hirsutula (Scaly Swordfern) · N. laurifolia (Laurel-Leaf Swordfern) · N. multiflora (Asian Swordfern) · N. obliterata (Australian Sword Fern) · N. obliterata 'Kimberly Queen' (Australian Sword Fern) · N. obliterata 'Medusa' (Australian Sword Fern) · N. pectinata (Basket Fern) · N. rivularis (Streamside Swordfern) · N. undulata (Annual Swordfern) · N. x (Avery's Swordfern) · N. × averyi (Avery's Swordfern)
More Info
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- Search using Specialized Databases: GenBank | Medline | Scirus | CISTI/CAL | Agricola Periodicals | Agricola Books
Further Reading
- Darling, T. Jr. 1982. The deletion of Nephrolepis pectinata from the flora of Florida. Amer. Fern J. 72: 63.
- Nauman, C. E. 1981. The genus Nephrolepis in Florida. Amer. Fern J. 71: 35--40.
- Nauman, C. E. 1985. A Systematic Revision of the Neotropical Species of Nephrolepis
- Schott. Ph.D. dissertation. University of Tennessee. Wherry, E. T. 1964. The Southern Fern Guide. Garden City, N.Y.
Notes
Contributors
- Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 10, 2012.
Identifiers
- Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 710356
Footnotes
- Clifton E. Nauman "Nephrolepis". in Flora of North America Vol. 2. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
