Nephrolepis is a genus of about 30 species of ferns. It is the only genus in the family Nephrolepidaceae, placed in the suborder Aspleniineae (eupolypods I) of the order Polypodiales in the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I). (It is placed in the Dryopteridaceae in some other classifications.USDA: Nephrolepis; family Dryopteridaceae. accessed 7 Sept. 2016.) Species in this genus include plants commonly referred to as Boston ferns. The fronds are long and narrow, and once-pinnate, in the case of one Bornean species reaching thirty feet (nine meters) in length.
Phylogeny The following cladogram for the suborder Polypodiineae (eupolypods I), based on the consensus cladogram in the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I), shows a likely phylogenetic relationship between Nephrolepidaceae and the other families of the clade.
External phylogeny Internal phylogeny Other species include:N. arida Jones 1988 N. ×averyi Nauman N. cocosensis Rojas 2017 N. ×copelandii Wagner 1999 N. delicatula (Decaisne) Pichi Sermolli N. dicksonioides Christ 1895 N. duffii Moore N. equilatera Rojas †N. favosa Skuratenko 1968 N. grayumiana Rojas N. ×hippocrepidis Miyam. 2005 N. kurotawae Makino 1895 N. ×medlerae Wagner 1999 N. multiflora (Roxburgh) Jarrett ex Morton N. obtusiloba A. Rojas N. occidentalis Kunze †N. penduliformis Skuratenko 1968 N. pickelii Rosenstock ex Sampaio 1930 N. ×pseudobiserrata Miyam. 2005 †N. sibirica Skuratenko 1968 N. tuberosa (Bory ex Willdenow) Presl
Selected species Nephrolepis biserrata (Sw.) Schott. (syn. Aspidium bisseratum Sw., Aspidium acutum Schkuhr, Nephrolepis acuta (Schkuhr) C. Presl, Polypodium puctulatum Poir) Nephrolepis cordifolia (L.) C. Presl (syn. Polypodium cordifolium L., Nephrolepis tuberosa (Bory ex Willd.) C. Presl, Aspidium tuberosum Bory ex Willd.) Nephrolepis exaltata (L.) Schott (syn. Polypodium exaltatum L.) Nephrolepis falcata Nephrolepis multiflora (Roxb.) F.M. Jarret ex C.V. Morton (syn. Davallia multiflora Roxb.) Nephrolepis obliterata Nephrolepis pectinata (Willd.) Schott (syn. Aspidium pectinatum Willd.) Nephrolepis tuberosa
Some species of Nephrolepis are grown as ornamental plants. Nephrolepis exaltata and Nephrolepis obliterata are reported to be good plants for cleaning indoor air.
Some Nephrolepis species may prove to be a good source of new antimicrobial chemicals.Rani D, Khare PB, Dantu PK"In Vitro Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties of Aqueous and Non-Aqueous Frond Extracts of Psilotum nudum, Nephrolepis biserrata and Nephrolepis cordifolia." Indian J Pharm Sci. 2010 Nov;72(6):818-22
References
Further reading Hennequin, S., Hovenkamp, P., Christenhusz, M.J.M. & Schneider, H. (2010) Phylogenetics and biogeography of Nephrolepis – a tale of old settlers and young tramps. Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 164(2): 113–127. Lorenzi, H. & Souza, M. S. (2001). Plantas Ornamentais no Brasil: arbustivas, herbáceas e trepadeiras. Plantarum
External links
USDA Plants Profile for Nephrolepis (swordfern) Nephrolepis biserrata At: Nephrolepis At: Biodiversity Database At: Cook Islands Biodiversity Website