SimplePlant

Nephrolepidaceae

Scaly swordfern

Nephrolepis hirsutula (G.Forst.) C.Presl

Family
Nephrolepidaceae
Genus
Nephrolepis

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Scaly swordfern: Nephrolepis hirsutula; note the small 'earlobe' at the base of the leaflet; (hulufe) in Tonga
Photo: Tauʻolunga, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons

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Common names

By language (2)
Chinese
毛叶肾蕨, 圆叶肾蕨
English
Scaly swordfern

Synonyms

  • Aspidium exaltatum var. hirsutulum F.M.Bailey
  • Aspidium hirsutulum (G.Forst.) Sw.
  • Aspidium pilosum Langsd. & Fisch.
  • Aspidium tomentosum Willd.
  • Lepidoneuron hirsutulum (G.Forst.) Fée
  • Nephrodium hirsutulum C.Presl
  • Nephrodium hirsutum (G.Forst.) Bory
  • Nephrodium multifidum Rich.
  • Nephrolepis cisneiriana f. duffii (T.Moore) Proctor
  • Nephrolepis duffii T.Moore & Gard.Chr.
  • Nephrolepis exaltata var. hirsutula (G.Forst.) Baker
  • Nephrolepis multifida (Rich.) Mett.
  • Nephrolepis pilosa C.Presl
  • Nephrolepis rufescens f. tripinnatifida Baker
  • Nephrolepis wallichiana C.Presl
  • Polypodium ferrugineum Roxb.
  • Polypodium hirsutulum G.Forst.
  • Polystichum hirsutulum Bernh.

Characteristics

Growth habit
Forb/herb
Lifespan
Perennial
In the US and Canada
Hawaii: introduced, Navassa Island: introduced, Pacific Basin: introduced, Pacific Basin: native

Photos

More in Nephrolepis

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.