8 Comments

1. 

   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

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     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.

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       Nathan Smith on January 5, 2014 at 6:52 pm

       Thanks. I will email you about the paper.

       Reply
2. 

   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.

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     Michael Sundue on January 6, 2014 at 3:15 am

     The tubers are really interesting. They do not store water not starch.

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3. 

   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.

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4. 

   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?

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5. 

   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