Nephrolepis cordifolia

by Nathan Smith | Jan 5, 2014 | Ferns, Florula, New Collections, Santa Catarina Island | 8 comments

In many areas of Florianópolis, this is one of the most common ferns found on stone walls. Does anyone know what species this is?

: Habit

: Pinnae

: Indusia and sori

: Rachis and hydathodes

: Apical pinnae

: Basal pinnae

: Plant base

Collection data (N. P. Smith, 451 )

Classification & Common Names

Class: Polypodiopsida
Family: Lomariopsidaceae
Genus: Nephrolepis Schott
Species: Nephrolepis cordifolia (L.) C. Presl

Collection Data

Collection Date: 17-XI-2013
Collection Number: 451
Primary collector: N. P. Smith
Collected by: M. A. Neves
Determined by: T. Ranker & F. Matos (from photos)
Habitat: Stone wall
Habits: Lithophyte, Terrestrial
Specimen location: FLOR
Observations: A weed in Lagoa da Conceição, Canto dos Araças, and Costa da lagoa (Florianópolis).

Nephrolepis cordifolia

Collection Location

General location: Costa da Lagoa (Florianópolis)
Country: Brazil
State or Province: Santa Catarina
Municipality: Florianópolis
Coordinates: -27.560819,-48.4645
Elevation: 10

About the Author

Nathan Smith

I am an amateur botanist working on the fern and lycophyte florulas of Santa Catarina Island and the Furnas River Reserve, in southern Brazil.

Hemionitis palmata

by Michael Sundue | Oct 25, 2014

Hemionitis palmata is common in openings around buildings at the Las Selva Biological Field Station.

Didymoglossum pusillum

by Michael Sundue | Feb 2, 2014

I found this Didymoglossum growing in dense mats on the roots of tree as we ascended a steep slope in P. N. Las Orquideas, Colombia.

Amauropelta longicaulis

by Michael Sundue | Sep 6, 2017

8 Comments

Tom Ranker on January 5, 2014 at 3:59 pm

It looks like N. cordifolia (L.) C. Presl, but apparently there is some confusion with the name N. auriculata (L.) Trimen
Reply
- Tom Ranker on January 5, 2014 at 4:14 pm
  
  see: Hovenkamp, P. H. and F. Miyamoto. 2005. A conspectus of the native and naturalized species of Nephrolepis (Nephrolepidaceae) in the world. Blumea 50: 279–322.
  
  I have the pdf of this paper; email me if you want a copy.
  Reply
  - Nathan Smith on January 5, 2014 at 6:52 pm
    
    Thanks. I will email you about the paper.
    Reply
Fernando Matos on January 5, 2014 at 11:33 pm

I agree with Tom: This looks like Nephrolepis cordifolia. If you have a chance, check for the presence of tubers on the underground runners of these plants to confirm the id. These structures, which are irregularly globose to somewhat elongated, up to a few cm in diameter, and densely scaly, are often (but not always) present in this species.
Reply
- Michael Sundue on January 6, 2014 at 3:15 am
  
  The tubers are really interesting. They do not store water not starch.
  Reply
Tom Ranker on January 6, 2014 at 6:05 am

When growing in soil they can produce the tubers; but when growing epiphytically or epipetrically (at least here in Hawaii) they do not produce the tubers.
Reply
Peter Hovenkamp on September 26, 2014 at 10:32 pm

Once I noticed in a plant that had been potted and kept dry for a prolonged period, that the tubers had all disappeared and left holes in the soil. Did anyone ever test for starch, though?
Reply
Michael Sundue on September 29, 2014 at 3:37 pm

Peter, I did a test for starch using potassium idodide and did not see a reaction. This was a bit surprising since the rhizome does not seem to hold much starch either.
Reply