old world climbing fern

 Plants: Vines
Filicopsida > Polypodiales > Lygodiaceae > Lygodium microphyllum (Cav.) R. Br.
Synonym(s): small leaf climbing fern
Old world climbing fern, an aggressive invader in southern Florida, is a perennial climbing fern that can reach lengths of more than 90 ft. (30 m). Vines are thin, wiry, and remain green throughout winter. The fronds (leaves of a fern) are opposite, singly compound, 2-5 in. (5-12 cm) long with thick, usually unlobed leaflets. Fertile fronds have lobes around the margin, where sporangia are covered with rolled leaf tissue. Old world climbing fern is a serious invader of swamps, glades, and hammocks. It can form dense mats that smother understory vegetation, shrubs and trees. Old word climbing fern also increases fire risks. Thick mats of dead fronds that grow into trees act as fire ladders, bringing the fires into the tree canopies. Old world climbing fern is native to Africa, Australia and Southeast Asia and was first found naturalized in the United States in 1965.

105 records

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Image Descriptor Description Photographer
1461085 Control Amy Ferriter
1461100 Control Amy Ferriter
1461104 Control Amy Ferriter
1461109 Control Amy Ferriter
1461111 Control Amy Ferriter
1461115 Control Amy Ferriter
5275079 Control Post Treatment, Everglades National Park, Florida Tony Pernas
5275080 Control Post Treatment, Everglades National Park, Florida Tony Pernas
5275081 Control Post Treatment, Everglades National Park, Florida Tony Pernas
5275082 Control Post Treatment, Everglades National Park, Florida Tony Pernas
5275063 Feature(s) Tony Pernas
2148045 Foliage Mid November, South Florida Zhihong Pan
2308086 Foliage Underside of spore-bearing leaflets of Old World climbing fern. Some leaflets produce spores; others don't. Spores can be carried by the wind to start new infestations. Peggy Greb
1461112 Foliage Fertile frond Amy Ferriter
1461114 Foliage Fertile fronds Amy Ferriter
1461102 Foliage Fertile frond Amy Ferriter
1461105 Foliage Fertile frond Amy Ferriter
1461101 Infestation Amy Ferriter
1461083 Infestation Amy Ferriter
1461084 Infestation Amy Ferriter
1461086 Infestation Amy Ferriter
1461087 Infestation Amy Ferriter
1461088 Infestation Amy Ferriter
1461089 Infestation Amy Ferriter
1461090 Infestation Amy Ferriter
1461091 Infestation Amy Ferriter
1299202 Infestation Randy Westbrooks
1355005 Infestation Growing on a cypress tree in southern Florida. Peggy Greb
1355006 Infestation Among cypress trees in southern Florida, entomologist Robert Pemberton examines invasive Old World climbing fern engulfing trees and shrubs. Peggy Greb
1461103 Infestation Amy Ferriter
1461110 Infestation Amy Ferriter
1461113 Infestation Amy Ferriter
1461163 Infestation Amy Ferriter
1461166 Infestation Amy Ferriter
1461167 Infestation Amy Ferriter
1624033 Infestation Introduced from the old world tropics as a potted plant, has spread throughout south Florida where it smothers native trees, shrubs, and herbs. The plant is spread by spores which are carried about by wind, animals, and water. Ken A. Langeland
5275083 Infestation Everglades National Park, Florida Tony Pernas
5275084 Infestation Everglades National Park, Florida Tony Pernas
5275085 Infestation Everglades National Park, Florida Tony Pernas
5275086 Infestation Everglades National Park, Florida Tony Pernas
5275087 Infestation Everglades National Park, Florida Tony Pernas
5275088 Infestation Everglades National Park, Florida Tony Pernas
5275089 Infestation Tree Islands, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5275090 Infestation Tree Islands, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5275091 Infestation Tree Islands, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5275092 Infestation Tree Islands, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5275093 Infestation Tree Islands, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5275094 Infestation Tree Islands, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5275095 Infestation Tree Islands, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5275096 Infestation Tree Islands, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5275097 Infestation Tree Islands, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5275098 Infestation Tree Islands, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5275099 Infestation Tree Islands, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5275100 Infestation Tree Islands, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5276001 Infestation Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5276002 Infestation Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5276003 Infestation Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5276004 Infestation Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5276005 Infestation Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5276006 Infestation Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5276007 Infestation Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida Tony Pernas
5276008 Infestation Miami-Dade County, Florida Tony Pernas
5276009 Infestation Miami-Dade County, Florida Tony Pernas
5276010 Infestation Miami-Dade County, Florida Tony Pernas
5276011 Infestation Miami-Dade County, Florida Tony Pernas
5276012 Infestation Miami-Dade County, Florida Tony Pernas
5276013 Infestation Miami-Dade County, Florida Tony Pernas
5276014 Infestation Miami-Dade County, Florida Tony Pernas
5276015 Infestation Miami-Dade County, Florida Tony Pernas
5276016 Infestation Miami-Dade County, Florida Tony Pernas
5276017 Infestation Miami-Dade County, Florida Tony Pernas
5276018 Infestation Miami-Dade County, Florida Tony Pernas
5276019 Infestation Miami-Dade County, Florida Tony Pernas
5392327 Infestation

Infestation!

 John M. Randall
5392328 Infestation John M. Randall
2308087 Infestation Entomologist Robert Pemberton observes invasive Old World climbing fern overtaking cypress trees in southern Florida. Peggy Greb
2308088 Infestation Old World climbing fern growing on cypress trees in southern Florida. The weed forms huge skirts that fires can climb to reach tree tops. Trees without the fern usually survive fire. Peggy Greb
2308089 Infestation In the Florida Everglades, Old World climbing fern engulfs a tree island. Peggy Greb
3970051 Infestation

blanketing an Everglades tree island in Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Florida

 Amy Ferriter
5275062 Infestation Tony Pernas
2148046 Infestation Mid November, South Florida Zhihong Pan
2148047 Infestation Mid November, South Florida Zhihong Pan
1461119 Infestation Amy Ferriter
5275064 Infestation Tony Pernas
5275065 Infestation Tony Pernas
5275066 Infestation Tony Pernas
5275067 Infestation Tony Pernas
5275068 Infestation Tony Pernas
5275069 Infestation Tony Pernas
5275070 Infestation Tony Pernas
5275071 Infestation Tony Pernas
5275074 Infestation Everglades National Park, Florida Tony Pernas
5275075 Infestation Everglades National Park, Florida Tony Pernas
5275076 Infestation Everglades National Park, Florida Tony Pernas
5275077 Infestation Everglades National Park, Florida Tony Pernas
5275078 Infestation Everglades National Park, Florida Tony Pernas
0002128 showing its sterile unlobed leaflets with entire margins and fertile leaflets with sporangia bearing teeth USDA ARS Archive
1461116 Prescribed Fire Amy Ferriter
1461117 Prescribed Fire Amy Ferriter
1461118 Prescribed Fire Amy Ferriter
1461161 Prescribed Fire Amy Ferriter
1355007 Research Entomologist John Goolsby inspects Old World climbing fern in its native habitat in Queensland, Australia. USDA ARS Archive
1461106 Seedling(s) Amy Ferriter
1461107 Seedling(s) Amy Ferriter
1461108 Seedling(s) Amy Ferriter


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