Nephrolepis exaltata

Nephrolepis exaltata - as a houseplant

Nephrolepis exaltata is a species of the genus of sword ferns ( Nephrolepis ). It is native to the tropics and is used as a houseplant.

Description

Nephrolepis exaltata can grow both terrestrially and as an epiphyte. It is an evergreen, perennial herbaceous plant, plant height between 40 and 90 centimeters, in extreme cases, up to 1.5 meters, achieved. Nephrolepis exaltata forms from an underground rhizome, which is slender and without tubers.

The upright fronds are simply pinnate, linear to lanceolate and glandular. The rachis bears monochrome chaff shed. The leaflets are entire, sessile and oblong- lanceolate. They are up to 4.8 inches long and up to 0.9 cm wide. They stand at a distance of less than 1 centimeter. The sori are rounded. The spores are tuberculate, wrinkled.

Occurrence

Of course you can find Nephrolepis exaltata in humid swamps in Florida, Mexico and throughout Central America and into South America. Also on the Caribbean islands it is widespread. Natural deposits are found in Polynesia and Africa.

Nephrolepis exaltata loves damp, shady locations and is often found in swamps and floodplains. They like to grow as epiphytes on Palmettopalmen ( Sabal palmetto ).

On the Azores island of Sao Miguel Nephrolepis exaltata occurs as a neophyte. Nephrolepis exaltata In Florida itself is displaced by the neophyte Nephrolepis cordifolia Schwertfarnart.