“Nephrolepis exaltata”

I put the scientific name above because there are apparently several common names, including:
» “Boston fern”
» “Boston swordfern”
» “Lace fern”
» “Sword fern”
» “Wild Boston fern”

From Missouri Botanical Garden: “Sword fern or Boston fern is native to Florida, West Indies, Mexico, Central America, South America, Polynesia and Africa. It is an evergreen fern that grows with an upright spreading habit to 3' tall and as wide. In its native habitat, it may grow to as much as 7' tall. It is an easy and popular fern to grow indoors. Generally sword-shaped fronds have shallow toothed to entire pinnae. Fronds initially grow upward but arch gracefully with age. A number of different forms are available in commerce including the very popular cultivar ‘Bostoniensis’, commonly called Boston fern, which many years ago earned the reputation of being a classic parlor fern” http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=285753&isprofile=1&adv=boston%20fern

Species page at PhytoImages, http://phytoimages.siu.edu/cgi-bin/dol/dol_terminal.pl?taxon_name=Nephrolepis_exaltata&rank=binomial

Photo from yesterday at PhytoImages, http://phytoimages.siu.edu/imgs/paraman1/r/Nephrolepidaceae_Nephrolepis_exaltata_94121.html

Photo taken at SIUC Plant Biology Greenhouse, http://www.plantbiology.siu.edu/facilities/plant-biology-facilities/greenhouse/index.php

1 year ago (“Holly”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2013-11-21
2 years ago (“New England autumn”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-11-21
3 years ago (“Solitary row in the Maas…”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-11-21

[ IMG_8084S9x12tm ]

[Jenny Mitchell]

It looks like an upside down Christmas tree!

[Rick Schies]

Love the pattern, and DOF, and of course at this time of the year I love green