Rhizome with rufous, lanceolate scales. Stipe grayish brown, 10-50 cm × ca. 4 mm, covered with lanceolate and fibrillar scales at base; lamina brownish green when dry, narrowly elliptic, 0.7-2 m or longer, 14-30 cm wide, papery, with sparse, lanceolate or linear scales when young, glabrous on both surfaces when mature; pinnae 30-55 pairs, 1.5-3 cm apart, subsessile, margin minutely serrulate, teeth remote, apex acute or acuminate, basal pairs of pinnae gradually shorter. Sori submedial, 1-2 mm apart, orbicular, 1.5-2 mm in diam.; indusia brown, orbicular-reniform, glabrous, sinus narrow.
Stem scales loosely appressed to spreading, concolored or bicolored with pale margins. Tubers absent. Leaves 2--22 × 0.3--3.5 dm. Petiole 0.2--5.4 dm, sparsely to moderately scaly; scales spreading, reddish to light brown throughout (rarely with pale margins). Blade sparsely to densely scaly, glabrous or pubescent, hairs mostly on veins and abaxial, pale to light brown, 0.2--0.7 mm. Rachis 1.8--17 dm, points of pinna attachment 7.5--35 mm apart; scales moderately spaced, pale brown throughout. Central pinnae narrowly deltate to narrowly elliptic-lanceolate, 2.5--23 × 0.5--2 cm, base cuneate, truncate to auriculate-cordate acroscopically, rounded basiscopically, acroscopic lobe small and oblong or absent, margins biserrate to serrulate, apex attenuate; costae adaxially glabrous or densely hairy, hairs erect, pale, 0.3 mm. Indusia circular to horseshoe-shaped, peltate or attached at narrow sinus, 0.8--1.1 mm wide. 2 n = 82.
Rhizome suberect to erect, stout, lacking tubers; rhizome scales concolorous, pale brown to orange, lanceolate, 5-7 mm long; fronds clumped, erect to arching; stipe light brown, 20-30 cm long, filiform-scaly to glabrescent; blade linear-elliptic, 75-100(-200) cm long, (11-) 16-24 cm wide, once-pinnate; rachis stramineous to tan, filiform-scaly with dense, fibrillose scales, 1-2 mm long, upper surface with catenate hairs; pinnae short-stalked, ± equally cuneate to equally auriculate at base, (5-)8.5-20 cm long, 9-20 mm wide, apex of longer pinnae with acuminate apex, margin finely serrulate (sterile blades) to crenate or bi-crenate (fertile blades); leaf tissue firm-herbaceous, finely hirtellous beneath with 0.3-0.6 mm long catenate hairs and scattered to dense, tan, fibrillose scales, especially on costae, upper surface with dense 0.3 mm long catenate hairs on costae; lime-dotted hydathodes on upper surface; sori round-reniform, mostly facing pinna margin, the sinus narrow, mature sporangia projecting on all sides; indusia brown, 0.8-1 mm wide, with 1-several 0.1-0.3 mm long hairs, entire margin.
Rhizomes suberect to erect, stout, lacking tubers; rhizome scales concolorous, pale brown to orange, lanceolate, 5–7 mm long; stipes light brown, 20–30 cm long, filiform-scaly to glabrescent; blades firm-herbaceous, linear-elliptic, 75–100(–200) x (11–)16–24 cm; rachises stramineous to tan, with dense, fibrillose scales, 1–2 mm long, adaxial surfaces with catenate hairs; pinnae short-stalked, ± equally cuneate to equally auriculate at bases, (5–)8.5–20 x 0.9–2 cm, apices of longest pinnae acuminate, margins finely serrulate (sterile blades) to crenulate or bicrenulate (fertile blades); indument abaxially, especially on costae, of fine, often rather dense catenate hairs 0.2–0.6 mm long and scattered to dense, tan, fibrillose scales, especially on costae, adaxial surfaces with numerous catenate hairs 0.1–0.3 mm long on costae; hydathodes often lime-dotted on adaxial blade surfaces; indusia brown, round-reniform, 0.8–1 mm diam., with a few hairs 0.1–0.3 mm long, each indusium with a narrow sinus (mature sporangia projecting on all sides); 2n = 82 (Jam, PR, Trin, Africa, India).
Plants terrestrial or epiphytic, stoloniferous. Fronds 30-300 X 15-40 cm; petiole canaliculate, 15-50 cm long; pinnae alternate, elliptic, 5-15 X 1-1.5 cm, petiolulate, acute to acuminate at apex, subequal at base, the margins dentate. Indusia orbicular, opening toward midrib.
Rhizome ascending or suberect, bearing a few fronds drooping at apex, numerous wiry roots, and stolons; scales gradually narrowing from base towards tailed apex, up to 5 mm or more long, 0.8 mm broad, brown, with hairy or irregular margin, thin and usually ferrugineous. Stipe up to 40 cm long, stramineous, densely scaly with narrower scales. Lamina large, usually more than 150 by 30 cm, lanceolate, narrowing towards both apex and base, pinnate; lateral pinnate up to 70 or more pairs; middle ones about 3 cm apart, larger, patent or slightly falcate at posterior end, linear-lanceolate, acuminate to caudate at apex, cuneate at base, sessile, serrate at margin of posterior part, up to 15 by 1.5 cm, thin but stiff; veins forked near costa, posterior brances sometimes forked again at middle part, minutely scaly on costa and even on laminar surface. Sori round, in one row at ⅓ way from margin to costa; indusia reniform, round, about 1.5 mm diam.
Plants terrestrial or epiphytic. Rhizome erect, woody, up to 25 cm long, densely clothed at apex with spreading, lance-attenuate, lustrous dark brown, hair-pointed scales up to 10 mm long and ca. 0.6 mm wide above the base, these with whitish, sparingly ciliate margins, and peltately attached near base. Fronds erect, arching, or pendent, 1-3 m long or more; stipes stout (up to 5 mm diam.), 12-60 cm long, bearing deciduous, pale brown, delicately clathrate, flexuous, linear-filiform scales, these peltately attached at the enlarged fimbriate base. Blades linear-oblong or broadly linear, up to 2 m long or more and of apparently indeterminate growth, 14-30 cm broad, slightly narrowed toward base; rhachis light brown, finely and deciduously fibrillosescaly; pinnae numerous, linear-oblong, 7-15 cm long, 1.2-2.5 cm broad, acute to acuminate at the apex, subequilateral at base and rounded to truncate or sometimes subauriculate acroscopically, the margins varying from finely dentateserrulate on sterile pinnae to crenate or biserrate on fertile ones; tissue sparsely to densely hirtellous abaxially (rarely nearly glabrous), sometimes also with small, pale brown, stellate-fimbriate scales; veins commonly 2-forked. Sori supramedial; indusium orbicular with slit-like sinus, the sinus area often bearing a few small hairs or very minute capitate glands.
Here we follow the traditional, wide circumscription of N. biserrata, which includes all Nephrolepis-forms with clearly inframarginal to medial sori with narrow sinus. Other rather constant characters are the basal stipe scales, which are uniformly narrow, concolorous and spread out sideways in one direction and the generally fairly large size of the plants. However, it is possible that in this circumscription a number of cryptic species are included.
Tallo: posición erecto(s)/decumbente(s); escama(s) libre(s)/concolor(es)/lanceolada(s)/margen(es) ciliada(s)/rojiza; tubérculo(s) ausente(s). Hoja: número de hoja(s) por tallo(s) más que 4; disposición erecta(s)/arqueada(s); pecíolo(s) piloso(s)/escamoso(s); lámina(s) glabra(s)/escamosa(s); base de la lámina(s) no reducida(s); raquis escamosa(s); pina cartacea(s)/margen(es) serrulada(s) a(s) crenulada(s)/base acroscópico ligeramente igual à basioscópico; costa(s) nervadura-central glabra(s)/escamosa(s). Tipo de esporangio: indusio reniforme(s) orbicular(es) mediano(s) rugoso(s). Esporangio: proyeccion hacia todo(s) los lado(s). Esporo: forma tipo elipsoide/monolete.
Stem: position erect/decumbent; scale free/concolor/lanceolate/margin ciliate/reddish; tuber absent. Leaf: number of the leaf by stem more than 4; disposition erect/arcuate; petiole pilose/squamose; blade glabrate/squamose; base of the blade not reduced; rachis squamose; pinna chartaceous/margin serrulate to crenulate/base acroscopic slightly equal to basiscopic; costa midrib glabrate/squamose. Type of sporangium: indusium reniform orbicular median rugose. Sporangium: projection towards all the side. Spore: form type ellipsoid/monolete.
Caule: posição ereto(s)/decumbente(s); escama(s) livre(s)/concolor(es)/lanceolada(s)/margem(ns) ciliada(s)/avermelhada; tubérculo(s) ausente(s). Folha: número de folha(s) por caule(s) mais de 4; disposição ereta(s)/arqueada(s); pecíolo(s) piloso(s)/escamoso(s); lâmina(s) glabra(s)/escamosa(s); base da lâmina(s) não reduzida(s); raque escamosa(s); pina cartácea(s)/margem(ns) serrulada(s) a(s) crenulada(s)/base acroscópico ligeiramente igual à basioscópico; costa(s) nervura-central glabra(s)/escamosa(s). Tipo de esporângio: indúsio reniforme(s) orbicular(es) mediano(s) rugoso(s). Esporângio: projeção para todo(s) os lado(s). Esporo: forma tipo elipsoide/monolete.
Feuilles arquées à subdressées, fermes; pétiole pouvant atteindre 40 cm de long, densément couvert de paillettes dans le bas; limbe pouvant atteindre 2,5(-3) m de long sur 30 cm de large; pennes nombreuses, pouvant atteindre 15 cm de long sur 2 cm de large, lancéolées, à base arrondie à subtronquée, peu asymétrique, à bords crénelés, plus légèrement dans les divisions fertiles et avec présence d'une petite dent dans chaque crénelure, à face supérieure glabre, parfois munie de points blancs aux extrémités des nervures, à face inférieure très éparsement garnie de paillettes et à nervures médiane ± pubescente; rachis portant des paillettes éparses et, au niveau d'insertion des divisions primaires, un indument roux. Sores ronds, d'environ 1 mm de diamètre, dorsaux, situés au sommet des nervures et disposés en une file de part et d'autre de la nervure médiane; indusie réniforme, s'ouvrant vers les bords des divisions, à sinus basilaire étroit.
Frond-bearing rhizome erect. Plant up to 1 m high. Fronds pinnate to 2-pinnatifid. Stipes not articulated.Lamina narrowly elliptic, ± 600 x 240 mm. Sori opening towards pinna margin, ± 4 mm apart, in a line along margin.
Habit, rhizome morphology. Plants forming tufts of 3-5 fronds. Runners 1-2.5 mm thick, branching angle divaricate. Scales on runners very sparse to dense, spreading or squarrose. Tubers absent. Fronds 120-160 by 19-25 cm, stipe 29-42 cm long. Lamina base truncate, tapering over 40-50 cm, basal pinnae 3.5-4 cm long, 4.5-5 cm distant, middle pinnae straight or slightly falcate (or somewhat recurved). Sterile pinnae 8-11 by 1.5-2 cm, herbaceous, thick or leathery, base equal or slightly unequal, basiscopic base cuneate, truncate or rounded, acroscopic base cuneate or truncate, slightly to distinctly auricled, margin in basal part crenate, towards apex serrate or dentate, apex obtuse, acute or acuminate. Fertile pinnae 9-15 by 0.9-1.3 cm, more strongly serrate than the sterile pinnae. Indument. Basal scales pseudopeltate, spreading (often somewhat falcately curved), 5 by 0.8 mm, central part light brown, shining, hyaline margin present in lower part only, marginal glands present around the base, marginal glands small, margin in basal part fimbriate, acumen dentate, apex entire. Rachis scales sparse or dense, spreading, hyaline or light brown, with a well-developed protracted entire acumen. Scales on lamina usually persistent. Hairs on lamina absent or sometimes present, costa sometimes present. Sori submarginal or medial, 50 pairs on fully fertile pinnae, round, not impressed. Indusium reniform, with narrow sinus, attached at sinus.
Rhizome erect. Fronds suberect to arching; stipe pale brown, up to 220 mm long, set with pale brown, narrowly lanceolate scales up to 2 mm long, becoming subglabrous with age; lamina narrowly elliptic, c. 600 x 240 mm, acute, pinnate, lower pinnae only slightly reduced; pinnae shortly petiolate, up to 36 pairs, very narrowly oblong, attenuate, crenate, base broadly cuneate, thinly pilose with minute white hairs when young, becoming subglabrous, submarginal hydathodes present but not conspicuous; rhachis pale brown, thinly pilose and set with scattered scales. Sori c. 4 mm apart in a line 2/3 the distance from costa to margin, c. 1 mm in diameter, opening outwards at right angles to veins; indusium membranous, entire, c. 0.6 mm in diameter.
In secondary forest, plantations and swamps; up to 1, 000 ft. alt.
Terricole en sites frais à inondés, de préférence ombragés, p.ex. en forêts-galeries; épiphyte en forêt secondaire et en plantation, fréquemment dans les palmeraies.
Usually in lowlands (sea level up to 750 m, rarely higher, to 1500 m), in open, disturbed situations, occasionally in forest; epiphytic or terrestrial.
Terrestrial, in wet shaded localities in forest, 10-1300 m.
Afrique intertropicale. Afrique du Sud. Toute la zone intertropicale.
Terrestrial, epipetric or epiphytic; Choapan, Ixtlán; ca. 800 m [350 m in Chiapas (A. R. Smith, 1981)]. Mexico (Nay, Ver, Pue, Oax, Chis, Tab); US (Fla); Guat to Pan; WI, Trin; Col to Sur, to Peru & Braz; Old World tropics.
Terrestrial, epipetric or epiphytic on matorral, palm plantations (Tabasco), evergreen rain forests; 100–1000 m. USA (Fla); Mexico; Guat, Bel, Hond, Salv, Nic, CR, Pan; Bah, Gr & L Ant; Col, Ven, Trin, Guy, Sur, Fr Gui, Ec, Peru, Braz, Bol; Africa, Asia, Polynesia.
Common, in clearings in all types of forests.
Pantropic (type from America). S.E. Asian plants are sometimes distinguished specifically from neotropical plants and called N. acuta. These two forms are hardly distinguishable, and they may be treated as conspecific pending further studies.
Natal, Transvaal, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola, Zambia, Zaire, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Central African Republic, Gabon, Cameroun, Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, São Tomé, Príncipe, Annobon, Zanzibar, Pemba, Madagascar, Comoro Islands, Mauritius, Reunion and Seychelles.
La souche de cette fougère est utilisée pour laver les enfants en bas âge. — Dans plusieurs régions, les indigènes brûlent la souche de cette fougère et enduisent de sa cendre des pièges qui l'introduisent dans les blessures qu'ils font au petit gibier.
| Name | Language | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giant sword fern |
|
