Lygodium Swartz. Climbing Fern.
A genus of about 40 species, mostly tropical, with a few temperate species.
ID notes: Lygodium in our region consists of two non-native and invasive species and an uncommon native. All species have underground rhizomes and very long leaves with wiry petioles and rachises that can climb into shrubs and trees or sprawl over the ground and lower vegetation. These "leaves with pinnae" are often mistaken for "stems with leaves" because of their surprising length and the distancing between the pinnae.
Ref: Nauman (1993b) In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (1993b); Zhang & Hanks in FoC (2013). Show full citations.
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© Keith Bradley | 
© Keith Bradley | 
© Keith Bradley | 
© Alan Cressler: Lygodium microphyllum, Highway 66, Hardee County, Florida 3 by Alan Cressler | Lygodium microphyllum source | Original Image ⭷