Family: Pteridaceae

Origin, Description & Uses
Hemionitis rotundifolia, commonly known as button fern or roundleaf fern, is a small evergreen fern native to New Zealand and the Chatham Islands. This attractive species is prized for its delicate arching fronds lined with small, rounded leaflets that give it a soft, textured appearance. Button fern thrives in shaded, humid environments and is widely grown as an ornamental houseplant, in shaded tropical gardens, terrariums, and hanging baskets. Its compact growth habit and tolerance for low light make it especially popular for indoor and container gardening.

Risks & Threats
Button fern is considered a low-risk species for Hawaii. It grows slowly, prefers consistently moist and shaded conditions, and does not typically spread aggressively outside cultivation. There is little evidence that it poses a threat to native ecosystems or natural areas. As with many ornamental plants, proper garden management and disposal of plant material are still encouraged, but overall this fern is regarded as a safe choice for tropical landscapes and indoor plant collections.

High Risk Traits:

• Grows in subtropical climates
  
• Shade-tolerant
  
• Reproduces by spores and rhizomes
  
• Apogamous (can reproduce without fertilization)
  
• Intentionally planted by people
  
• Spores dispersed by wind and possibly water
  
• Prolific spore production (presumably)

Low Risk Traits:

• No reports of invasiveness or naturalization to date
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• May be palatable to deer
  
• Non-toxic
  
• Ornamental
  
• Not reported to spread vegetatively