Nephrolepis exaltata
Family Davalliaceae (also seen under Nephrolepidaceae, Lomariopsidaceae or Oleandraceae)
The Boston Fern is similar to Nephrolepsis cordifolia.
An evergreen, terrestrial or epiphytic fern which spreads by thin runners.
Frond stalks, up to 4 cm long, have a few pale to brown scales.
There are also scales on the dark brown midrib.
Fronds are bright green, upright then arching.
Fronds are once divided with the leaflets being alternate and overlapping.
Leaflets can have a basal auricle (lobe) which may overlap the midrib.
They have shallow teeth on the margin.
Sporangia are in sori which have kidney-shaped indusia up to 1.7 mm wide.
There are many cultivars, most derived from the cultivar N. exaltata ‘Bostoniensis’.
They have fronds that are divided up to 4 times and with leaflets more deeply lobed, wavy,
twisted etc. giving them a ruffled or feathery appearance – crested.
Among cultivars are N. exaltata ‘Fluffy Ruffles’, ‘Rooseveltii’ and ‘Whitmanii’.
J.F.
