Nephrolepis ×averyi
Avery's sword fern, swordfern
scales loosely appressed to spreading, essentially concolored.
8–30 × 0.5–1.3 dm.
1.2–5 dm, moderately to densely scaly;
scales spreading, reddish to light brown throughout.
moderately scaly, glabrous to occasionally pubescent abaxially, glabrous adaxially, hairs pale to light brown, 0.2–0.7 mm.
horseshoe-shaped to circular, attached at narrow sinus or peltate, 0.9–1.1 mm wide.
absent.
5–26 dm, points of pinna attachment 9–25 mm apart;
scales scattered, brown throughout.
pinnae narrowly deltate to oblong-deltate, 3.6–9 × 0.7–2 cm, base truncate, sometimes rounded basiscopically, barely auriculate acroscopically, acroscopic lobe obtuse to acute, margins serrulate, apex narrowly acute to attenuate, falcate to slightly so;
costae adaxially sparsely pubescent, hairs pale, erect, 0.1–0.5 mm.
= 164.
Nephrolepis ×averyi
Nephrolepis × averyi is an allotetraploid derived from hybridization between N. biserrata and N. exaltata and is known to occur only in mixed populations of both parent species. It is distinguished from N. exaltata by its sparsely hairy adaxial costae, larger size, and misshapen spores, and from N. biserrata by its falcate pinnae and narrower leaves.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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