Nephrolepidaceae
Macho Ferns Or Swordferns
The Nephrolepidaceae family (Macho Ferns Or Swordferns) is a botanical family placed in the order Polypodiales. In the SASYA catalogue it spans 3 species. Its members are predominantly herbs. Several members are valued in traditional medicine. Familiar examples include Broad Sword Fern, Brown's sword fern and southern sword fern.
Browse all 3 species ↓
Long, narrow, once-divided fronds with many small, closely spaced leaflets growing from a rhizome that also produces long wiry runners tipped with small storage tubers; round spore clusters sit near the leaflet margin, each covered by a small kidney-shaped flap.
As true ferns this family has no flowers or seeds — its wiry runners and small underground storage tubers, unusual among ferns, are the clearest single field mark.
Which Nephrolepidaceae species is this?
Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Nephrolepidaceae species.
To check whether a plant belongs to Nephrolepidaceae, compare the leaf arrangement, leaf type, flower symmetry, fruit type, and one distinctive marker together. A single feature can mislead; the family pattern is the combination.
Learn the full family-identification methodNotable members
Families that can look similar
Pteridaceae
Compare against Pteridaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare PteridaceaePolypodiaceae
Compare against Polypodiaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare PolypodiaceaeDryopteridaceae
Compare against Dryopteridaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare DryopteridaceaeThelypteridaceae
Compare against Thelypteridaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare ThelypteridaceaeAll 3 species in NEPHROLEPIDACEAE
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