This is the only fern that inhabits the mangrove forest floor. Other ferns in mangrove forests are epiphytic (growing by attaching themselves to the trunks and branches of trees).

Roots: No above-ground roots.

Leaves: Fronds can be up to 2 m long, made up of smaller leaflets (up to 15 cm long).

Flowers and Fruit: Ferns do not have flowers or fruit but produce spores on the backs of their leaves throughout the year.

Bark: None.

Similar species: None.

Location: Usually found on the landward edges of mangrove forests, high in the intertidal zone where there is a large freshwater input i.e. in wet, tropical river regions. The Mangrove Fern often dominates in areas that have been cleared or disturbed.