Species
Nephrolepis exaltata
Etymology
Nephrolepis: Kidney scale
Common Name(s)
southern sword fern
Authority
Nephrolepis exaltata (L.) Schott
Family
Nephrolepidaceae
Flora Category
Vascular - Exotic
Structural Class
Ferns
Distribution
New Zealand - naturalized in Auckland, Hamilton, Napier and Wellington. Indigenous throughout tropics.
Habitat
Urban areas and disturbed forest margins. Often a glasshouse 'weed'.
Flowering
Not Applicable - spore producing
Fruiting
Not Applicable - spore producing
Propagation Technique
Easily grown from rooted pieces and can be grown from spores. Indications are that this species, at least in the warmer parts of New Zealand is likely to be as invasive as Nephrolepis cordifolia
Endemic Taxon
No
Endemic Genus
No
Endemic Family
No
Year Naturalised
2014
Origin
Unknown
Reason for Introduction
An ornamental species
Attribution
Fact Sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange (18 January 2017).
References and further reading
Large, M. 2016: Introduced Nephrolepis in New Zealand. Trilepidea 149: 4-5.
Large, M.; Farrington, L. 2016: The Nephrolepis Boston fern complex (including Nephrolepis exaltata (L.) Schott), Nephrolepidaceae, naturalised in New Zealand. Perspectives in Biosecurity Research Series 2: 1-7.
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This page last updated on 22 Aug 2017