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Lygodium microphyllum (Cav.)R.Br.
Small-leaf Climbing Fern
Old World Climbing Fern
Climbing Maidenhair
Not native to Florida
This plant is an invasive exotic that is altering native plant communities by displacing native species, changing community structures or ecological functions, or hybridizing with natives.
This species should never be planted (many with this designation are prohibited by law), and generally should be removed whenever possible.
A frequent climbing fern in the southern half of the Florida peninsula, reported as far north as Sumter and Volusia Counties. Native to Africa, Asia and Australia, it is not present elsewhere in North America.
With a twisting and twining growth form that grows to cover all other nearby vegetation, the blades can be up to 10 m (33 ft.) long with alternate, short-stalked pinnate pinnae. The pinnae are from 3 - 14 cm long and 2.5 - 6 cm wide with several pairs of segments. In the sterile pinnae, these are more or less triangular shaped, usually with a rounded tip, although sometimes pointed. Fertile pinnae are lobed, with sori lining the margin undersides and the edges rolled under, creating a frilly appearance.
First reported in south Florida in the mid 1960's, Lygodium microphyllum appeared to remain limited to a relatively small area for over a decade and was still considered rare in Florida. Now the species is spreading aggressively and advancing northward.
Lygodium microphyllum is a member of the Lygodiaceae - Climbing Fern family.
Other species of the Lygodium genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Lygodium japonicum - JAPANESE CLIMBING FERN
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Feb 07, 2024
