Lygodium palmatum (Bernh.) Sw., Lygodiaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Gisopteris palmata Bernh.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: American climbing fern, Hartford fern, Windsor fern, creeping fern

Habit:  fern

Description:  "Stems long-creeping. Leaves to ca. 3 m. Petioles borne 1-4 cm apart, 9-15 cm. Sterile pinnae on 1-2 cm stalks, very broadly ovate, deeply and palmately 3-7-lobed, 1-4 " 2-6 cm; ultimate lobes triangular-elongate to oblong; lobe apex acute to blunt or rounded; segments not articulate to petiolules, not leaving wiry stalks when detached; blade tissue pubescent abaxially with transparent hairs. Fertile pinnae stalked to ca. 1.5 cm, then " irregularly 3-5-forked or lobed, ultimate divisions palmately and sometimes irregularly lobed, smaller than sterile pinnules, 2-4 " 2-8 cm, otherwise similar; ultimate segments narrowly triangular to linear-triangular." (Flora of North America)

Habitat/ecology:  Moist acid soil of thickets, marshes and open woods (Fernald, 1970; p. 25).

Propagation:  Spores

Native range:  Eastern United States (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 94)

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)	United States (other states)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Lygodium palmatum, please let us know.