A Case of Mistaken Identity Native and Exotic “Boston Ferns” and “Sword Ferns” (Nephrolepis spp.) Figure 1. Florida’s native sword fern, also known as wild Boston fern, is a dominant feature of south Florida hammocks and a popular native landscape plant (Nephrolepis exaltata). Shown here in DuPuis Preserve (Palm Beach/Martin County). Ken Langeland desired plants of grow- University of Florida Center for ers and yearly sales Aquatic and Invasive Plants soared in the hundred Figure 2. st 7922 NW 71 Street, Gainesville, FL 32653 thousands.” In 1894, a Fronds of
[email protected] cultivar of N. exaltata Florida’s was discovered in a native giant Introduction shipment from a Phil- sword fern Florida’s native sword fern, also adelphia grower to a (Nephrolepis know as wild Boston fern, (Nephrolepis Boston distributer and biserrata) are exaltata) (Figure 1) and giant sword fern named N. exaltata cv. often 2 m (Nephrolepis biserrata) (Figure 2), were ‘Bostoniensis’, hence the long. Shown highly admired by early botanists, commonly used name here in Fern naturalists, and horticulturists (Small Boston fern (Foster Forest, 1918a, 1918b, Simpson 1920, Foster 1984). Other derivatives Pompano 1984). Charles Torrey Simpson (1920) of N. exaltata cv. ‘Bosto- Beach wrote: “But the real glory of the ham- niensis’, ranging from (Broward mock is the two species of Nephrolepis, 1-5-pinnate, and with County). one being the well known “Boston“ such descriptive names fern.” According to Foster (1984) as N. exaltata cv. ‘Florida “—they [N. exaltata] could be seen in [Fluffy] Ruffles’ were homes and public buildings almost developed and are still known from native sword fern and giant sword everywhere.