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Nephrolepis biserrata

(Sw.) Schott

Giant Swordfern

G5Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.151377
Element CodePPDAV01010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumFilicinophyta
ClassFilicopsida
OrderPolypodiales
FamilyNephrolepidaceae
GenusNephrolepis
Synonyms
Aspidium biserratumSw.
Other Common Names
giant swordfern (EN) Giant Sword Fern (EN) Helecho de Cola de Pescado (ES)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
Hennequin et al. (2010) confirm the monophyly of the genus Nephrolepis and suggest attribution to its own family, Nephrolepidaceae. The generic placement of this taxon is in accordance with the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group I (2016).
Conservation Status
Review Date1991-03-05
Change Date1991-03-18
Edition Date1991-03-06
Edition AuthorsBroaddus, Lynn
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Rank Reasons
Pantropical distribution, common.
Range Extent Comments
Florida, Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Africa, and southeast Asia (FNA 1993)
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Thickets, forest margins, clearings, and roadside banks. Also sometimes pendant from tree trunks, the axils of palm leaves, or cliffs near waterfalls (Proctor, 1985).
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
FloridaS3Yes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
Puerto Rico (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mameyes AreaCaribbean National Forest11,150
References (5)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 1993a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 2. Pteridophytes and gymnosperms. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xvi + 475 pp.
  2. Hennequin, S., Hovenkamp, P., Christenhusz, M.J., and H. Schneider. 2010. Phylogenetics and biogeography of Nephrolepis–a tale of old settlers and young tramps. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 164(2): 113-127.
  3. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  4. Lellinger, D.B. 1985. A field manual of the ferns and fern-allies of the U.S. and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. 389 pp.
  5. Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group I. 2016. A Community-Derived Classification for Extant Lycophytes and Ferns. Journal of Systematics and Evolution 54(6): 563–603.