About Nephrolepis biserrata (Sw.) Desv.
Nephrolepis biserrata, commonly called giant swordfern, is a tropical fern. It is native to Florida, Mexico, the West Indies, Central America, South America, Africa, and southeast Asia. Its stipes are grayish brown, measuring 10–50 cm long by about 4 mm wide. The brownish-green, papery lamina are 14–30 cm wide and 0.7–2 m long, and have occasionally reached a length of twenty-seven feet, or eight meters. This is the largest species of all sword ferns. It is often sold as Macho Fern in nurseries, named for its aggressive growth compared to the more commonly planted Boston Sword Fern, Nephrolepis exaltata. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, N. biserrata is called asaha or likekele, and its young leaves are cooked and eaten as a condiment or leafy vegetable.
