Native Range

Australia, Africa, Asia, and Oceania

Appearance

Old World climbing fern is a perennial climbing fern. It reproduces via spore dispersal as well as vegetatively via its creeping fronds and rhizomes. Each “stem” is a frond whose rachises can grow up to 90 ft (27 m) long; these have numerous leaflets 2–5 in (5–12 cm) long that each contain several pairs of subleaflets. Subleaflets are triangular-shaped, attached by small stems, and either

Impact

Old World climbing fern can produce mats a few feet thick that severely reduce native ground cover. Dense skirts of old rachises (midribs) and fronds often envelop trees, weakening or killing them along with their associated epiphytic plants (e.g., orchids and bromeliads). The thick skirts also serve as ladders that carry fire into tree canopies, killing trees that are normally able to withstand ground fires.

Reference

David, A.S. and E.C. Lake. 2022. Old World Climbing Fern (Lygodium microphyllum): History and Ecology in North America. In: R.L. Winston, Ed. Biological Control of Weeds in North America. North American Invasive Species Management Association, Milwaukee, WI. NAISMA-BCW-2022-2-OLD WORLD CLIMBING FERN-P. https://bugwoodcloud.org/resource/files/23200.pdf

Resources

• Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States - USDA Forest Service
• Management Plan - Florida EPPC

Selected Images

Maps

Invasive Listing Sources

• Alabama Noxious Weeds - Class A Noxious Weed
• Federal Noxious Weeds
• Florida Invasive Plant Council - Plant List - Category I
• Florida Noxious Weeds
• Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council
• Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007
• John Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Survey of TNC Preserves, 1995.
• Nonnative Invasive Species in Southern Forest and Grassland Ecosystems
• Southwest Florida Cooperative Invasive Species Mgmt. Area
• WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States

References