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Nephrolepis biserrata (Sw.) Schott
Giant sword fern

Nephrolepis biserrata
Copyright by: George D. Gann
In habitat, Miami-Dade County, Florida

Family: Nephrolepidaceae

Group: Pteridophyte

Substrate: Terrestrial

Habit: Herb

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: Southeastern United States (Louisiana, Florida), the West Indies, Mexico, Central America, South America and the Old World.

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

State of Florida Status: Threatened

IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Rare

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated

Comments: Visit our Natives For Your Neighborhood website for more information and images. Reported by John Kunkel Small in 1918 for Royal Palm Hammock.

Other data on Nephrolepis biserrata available from :

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Nephrolepis biserrata has been found in the following 53 conservation areas :
Occurrence Native Status
Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Present Native
Babcock Ranch Preserve Present Native
Big and Little George Hammocks Present Native
Big Cypress National Preserve Present Native
Biscayne National Park Recorded as Present in Error
Camp Owaissa Bauer Present Native
Castellow Hammock parcel 28 Present Native
Castellow Hammock Park Present Native
Chapman Field Park Recorded as Present in Error
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Present Native
Crandon Park Doubtfully Present
Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammocks Botanical State Park Recorded as Present in Error
Deering Estate at Cutler Present Native
Delray Oaks Natural Area Present Native
Doris Davis Forman Wilderness Preserve Natural Area Doubtfully Present
Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park Recorded as Present in Error
Dupuis Reserve Present Native
Everglades and Francis S. Taylor Wildlife Management Area Present Native
Everglades National Park Present Native
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park Present Native
Fern Forest Nature Center Present Native
Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge Present Native
Frenchman's Forest Natural Area Doubtfully Present
Grassy Waters Preserve Present Native
Hattie Bauer Hammock Present Native
High Ridge Scrub Natural Area Present Native
J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area Present Native
Jonathan Dickinson State Park Present Native
Juno Dunes Natural Area Doubtfully Present
Lake Okeechobee Ridge Present Native
Long Key Natural Area & Nature Center Doubtfully Present
Loveland Hammock Present Native
Loxahatchee River Natural Area Present Native
Loxahatchee Slough Natural Area Present Native
Matheson Hammock Park Present Native
Navy Wells Pineland 23 Present Native
Navy Wells Pineland Preserve Present Native
Peck Lake Park Present Native
Picayune Strand State Forest Present Native
Pine Island Ridge Natural Area Doubtfully Present
Pond Cypress Natural Area Present Native
R. Hardy Matheson Preserve Doubtfully Present
Rocky Point Hammock Present Native
Rosemary Scrub Natural Area Recorded as Present in Error
Royal Palm Beach Pines Natural Area Present Native
Seabranch Preserve State Park Present Native
Seacrest Scrub Natural Area Recorded as Present in Error
Silver Palm Hammock Doubtfully Present
Southern Glades Present Native
Tall Cypress Natural Area Present Native
Tree Tops Park Present Native
Wild Turkey Strand Preserve Present Native
Woodmont Natural Area Present Native

Nephrolepis biserrata has been found in the following 10 counties :
Occurrence Native Status
Broward County Native
Collier County Native
Glades County Native
Hendry County Native
Lee County Native
Martin County Native
Miami-Dade County Native
Monroe County (Keys) Recorded as Present in Error
Monroe County (Mainland) Native
Palm Beach County Native

Nephrolepis biserrata has been found in the following 4 habitats :
Disturbed Upland
Dome Swamp
Rockland Hammock
Strand Swamp

All Images:

Nephrolepis biserrata
Copyright by: George D. Gann
In habitat, Miami-Dade County, Florida
Nephrolepis biserrata
Copyright by: Mike Rosenthal
Nephrolepis biserrata
Copyright by: George D. Gann
In habitat, Miami-Dade County