Nephrolepis cordifolia
Tent. Pterid. 79. 1836.
Stem scales spreading, concolored. Tubers present or absent. Leaves 2.5–10.7 × 0.3–0.7 dm. Petiole 0.3–2 dm, moderately to densely scaly; scales spreading, pale brown throughout. Blade lacking scales, glabrous (rarely with a few branched hairs abaxially). Rachis 2.2–9 dm, points of pinna attachment 5–12 mm apart; scales moderately spaced to dense, pale to dark brown, point of attachment distinctly darker. Central pinnae oblong to lanceolate-oblong, straight to slightly falcate, 0.9–5 × 0.4–0.9 cm, base auriculate-cordate, acroscopically overlapping rachis, acroscopic lobe deltate, margins entire to serrulate to smoothly crenate, apex acute to bluntly rounded; costae adaxially glabrous. Indusia reniform to lunate or deltate-rounded, attached along broad sinus, 1.1–1.7 mm wide. 2n = 82.
Habitat: Terrestrial or epiphytic in wet, shady places, limestone ledges, cliffs, rock, roadsides, and often old homesites or waste places, widely escaped from cultivation and only questionably native to any particular region
Elevation: 0 m
Distribution
Fla., Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Africa, se Asia, Pacific Islands (Hawaii).
Discussion
Selected References
None.