Family: Polypodiaceae

High Risk Traits:

• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Naturalized on Oahu (Hawaiian Islands)
  
• A potential pest in tree plantations in Malaysia, with a smothering, shading and strangulation effect on young leaves, shoots, buds and flowers
  
• Shade-tolerant
  
• Epiphytic, able to smother trees in plantations
  
• Reproduces by spores and vegetatively by rhizomes and fragments
  
• Gametophytes are self-fertile
  
• Reaches maturity in <1 year
  
• Spores dispersed by wind; intentionally cultivated by people
  
• Birds use fern for nesting material; viability of fern fragments unknown
  
• Prolific spore production

Low Risk Traits:

• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• Non-toxic