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Nephrolepis brownii (Desv.) Hovenkamp & Miyam.
Asian sword fern

Nephrolepis brownii
Copyright by: Keith A. Bradley

Family: Nephrolepidaceae

Group: Pteridophyte

Substrate: Terrestrial

Habit: Herb

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: Asia; an invasive weed elsewhere.

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

FLEPPC Status: Category I Invasive

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Not Native, Naturalized

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated

Comments: An aggressive invasive exotic, especially in hammocks. Distinguished from native sword ferns by the dark brown scales at the base of the fronds.

Synonyms: N. multiflora.

Other data on Nephrolepis brownii available from :

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Nephrolepis brownii has been found in the following 90 conservation areas :
Occurrence Native Status
A.D. Doug Barnes Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge Present Not Native, Naturalized
Babcock Ranch Preserve Present Not Native, Naturalized
Big Cypress National Preserve Present Not Native, Naturalized
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Black Creek Forest Present Not Native, Naturalized
Blazing Star Preserve Present Not Native, Naturalized
Bonair Beach Parcel, Martin County Present Not Native, Naturalized
Caloosahatchee Creeks Preserve Present Not Native, Naturalized
Camp Owaissa Bauer Present Not Native, Naturalized
Castellow Hammock parcel 28 Present Not Native, Naturalized
Castellow Hammock Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Coral Pines Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Coral Reef Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed (CREW) Present Not Native, Naturalized
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Present Not Native, Naturalized
Crandon Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge Present Not Native, Naturalized
Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammocks Botanical State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Deering Estate at Cutler Present Not Native, Naturalized
Delray Beach, Lake Ida parcel Present Not Native, Naturalized
Delray Oaks Natural Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Dolphin Center and Dolphin Center Addition Present Not Native, Naturalized
Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Dupuis Reserve Present Not Native, Naturalized
Eachus Pineland Present Not Native, Naturalized
Enchanted Forest Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Everglades National Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Florida City Pineland Present Not Native, Naturalized
Fred C. Babcock-Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Frenchman's Forest Natural Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Frog Pond/L-31 N Transition Lands Present Not Native, Naturalized
Girl Scouts South Miami Little House Present Not Native, Naturalized
Goulds Pineland Present Not Native, Naturalized
Gulfstream Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Halpatiokee Regional Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
High Ridge Scrub Natural Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Hillsboro Pineland Natural Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Ingram Pineland Present Not Native, Naturalized
J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
John Kunkel Small Pineland Present Not Native, Naturalized
Jonathan Dickinson State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Juno Dunes Natural Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Kendall Indian Hammocks Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Kendalwood Present Not Native, Naturalized
Kiplinger Present Not Native, Naturalized
Larry and Penny Thompson Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Little Torch Hammocks, Florida Keys Wildlife and Environmental Area Present Not Native, Cultivated Only
Loveland Hammock Present Not Native, Naturalized
Loxahatchee River Natural Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Ludlam Pineland Present Not Native, Naturalized
Luis Martinez United States Army Reserve Station, Richmond Pine Rocklands Present Not Native, Naturalized
Medlock Pineland Present Not Native, Naturalized
Moreno Pine Rockland Present Not Native, Naturalized
Ned Glenn Nature Preserve Present Not Native, Naturalized
Nixon Smiley Pineland Addition Present Not Native, Naturalized
Northrop Pineland Present Not Native, Naturalized
Oak Grove Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Ocean Ridge Hammock Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Oleta River State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Palm Drive Pineland Present Not Native, Naturalized
Peck Lake Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Phipps Ocean Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Pine Shore Preserve Present Not Native, Naturalized
Prairie Pines Preserve Present Not Native, Naturalized
Quail Roost Pineland Present Not Native, Naturalized
R. Hardy Matheson Preserve Present Not Native, Naturalized
Red Reef Park, including Gumbo Limbo Nature Center Present Not Native, Naturalized
Riverbend Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Rock Pit 34 Present Not Native, Naturalized
Rock Pit 39 Present Not Native, Naturalized
Rockdale Pineland Present Not Native, Naturalized
Ron Ehmann Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Savannas Preserve State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Seabranch Preserve State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Silver Palm Groves Present Not Native, Naturalized
St. Lucie Inlet Preserve State Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Sunny Palms Pineland Present Not Native, Naturalized
Tamiami Pineland Complex Addition Present Not Native, Naturalized
Trail Glades Range Present Not Native, Naturalized
Tree Island Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Trinity Pineland Present Not Native, Naturalized
Tropical Park Present Not Native, Naturalized
Wild Turkey Strand Preserve Present Not Native, Naturalized
Yamato Scrub Natural Area Present Not Native, Naturalized
Yellow Fever Creek Preserve Present Not Native, Naturalized

Nephrolepis brownii has been found in the following 8 counties :
Occurrence Native Status
Broward County Not Native, Naturalized
Collier County Not Native, Naturalized
Lee County Not Native, Naturalized
Martin County Not Native, Naturalized
Miami-Dade County Not Native, Naturalized
Monroe County (Keys) Not Native, Naturalized
Monroe County (Mainland) Not Native, Naturalized
Palm Beach County Not Native, Naturalized

Nephrolepis brownii has been found in the following habitat :
Pine Rockland

All Images:

Nephrolepis brownii
Copyright by: Keith A. Bradley
Nephrolepis brownii
Copyright by: George D. Gann, 2018
Naturalized at Pine Shore Preserve in Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA
Nephrolepis brownii
Copyright by: George D. Gann
Nephrolepis brownii
Copyright by: George D. Gann
Nephrolepis brownii
Copyright by: Keith A. Bradley