Nephrolepis exaltata
Common name
southern sword fern
Family
Nephrolepidaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Ferns
Conservation status
Not applicable
Distribution
Introduced and Naturalised. New Zealand: Auckland, Hamilton, Napier and Wellington. Indigenous throughout tropics.
Habitat
Urban areas and disturbed forest margins. Often a glasshouse ‘weed’.
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.
Year naturalised
2014
Origin
Unknown
Reason for introduction
An ornamental species
Etymology
nephrolepis: Kidney scale
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.
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Nephrolepis exaltata Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/nephrolepis-exaltata/ (Date website was queried)