Ceratopteris pteridoides (Hook.) Hieron., Pteridaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Parkeria pteridoides Hook.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: floating fern

Habit:  aquatic fern

Description:  "Plants floating, occasionally rooted in mud.  Sterile leaves deltoid, rhomboid, or ovate, often cordate, 8-30 cm long, 6-24 cm broad, palmately to pinnately lobed (or occasionally pinnate-pinnatifid at the very base), the lobes commonly obtuse to subacute, often bearing proliferous buds in their sinuses; lamina commonly with 1-2 pairs of pinnae (or lobes); basal segments (or pinnae) or midveins of basal lobes borne oppositely on the rachis.  Fertile leaves deltoid, cordate, or reniform, 15-50 cm long, 10-35 cm broad; lamina 3- to 4-pinnate (at least in the proximal half); pinnae 4-9 pairs, ascending, basal pair often opposite; sporangia with annulus lacking or vestigial, the indurated cells 0-12 (-40); spores 32 to each sporangium" (Stolze, 1981; p. 124).

Habitat/ecology:  "In ponds, or in slow-moving rivers or streams, sea level to 100 m" (Stolze, 1981; p. 124).

Propagation:  Spores

Native range:  "El Salvador to Panama; Colombia to French Guiana, south to Peru and Argentina; Greater Antilles, Florida; Louisiana" (Stolze, 1981; p. 124).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 64)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 78)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 64)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Negara Brunei Darussalam Brunei	Brunei (Negara Brunei Darussalam)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 64)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Comments:  Reported as possibly an invasive plant in southeast Asia (per Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com.).

Control:  If you know of control methods for Ceratopteris pteridoides, please let us know.