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Asplenium nidus L.

Bird's-nest fern

Native records: 14 botanical areas

Bismarck Archipelago, Borneo, Caroline Is., 11 more areas

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Natural distribution

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NativeIntroducedUncertain

Distribution is shown as WGSRPD Level 3 areas. It does not imply the species occurs throughout an entire area.

Last updated:

Distribution last verified:

See sources

Photograph of Asplenium nidus

An epiphytic fern in the family Aspleniaceae, native to the Asian tropics to north-eastern Australia. Bright green, undivided fronds radiate from a central rosette that catches leaf-litter and rain, forming a distinctive 'bird's-nest' shape. Shade-tolerant and one of the most popular cultivated ferns worldwide.

Description

A large epiphytic or lithophytic fern with a short, erect rhizome that bears a rosette of simple fronds. Fronds are linear-lanceolate, 1–2 m long and 10–20 cm broad, bright green and glossy, with a short stipe and a prominent central cavity that funnels falling leaves and rainwater into a spongy humus mass. Sori are linear, arranged along the lateral veins on the underside. Plants grow on tree trunks, branches and wet rock faces in lowland to montane rain forest, typically from sea level to around 2,200 m. Like other ferns it is homosporous, reproducing via spores produced in the sori. Widely cultivated as a houseplant for its dramatic foliage and tolerance of low light and intermittent dryness.

Habitat

Native across the Malesian region from the Malay Peninsula through Indonesia, the Philippines, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, reaching north-eastern Queensland in Australia. Occurs as an epiphyte or lithophyte in wet tropical forest, favouring humid, frost-free sites on tree trunks, branches and rock faces from lowland to montane zones.

Distribution areas

  • Australia

    • QueenslandNative

  • Bangladesh

    • BangladeshIntroduced

  • British Indian Ocean Territory

    • Chagos ArchipelagoIntroduced

  • Brunei Darussalam

    • BorneoNative

  • Christmas Island

    • Christmas I.Native

  • Fiji

    • FijiIntroduced

  • Indonesia

    • BorneoNative
    • JawaNative
    • Lesser Sunda Is.Native
    • MalukuNative
    • New GuineaNative
    • SulawesiNative
    • SumateraNative

  • Malaysia

    • BorneoNative
    • MalayaNative

  • Micronesia, Federated States of

    • Caroline Is.Native

  • Palau

    • Caroline Is.Native

  • Papua New Guinea

    • Bismarck ArchipelagoNative
    • New GuineaNative
    • Solomon Is.Native

  • Philippines

    • PhilippinesNative

  • Singapore

    • MalayaNative

  • Solomon Islands

    • Solomon Is.Native

  • Timor-Leste

    • Lesser Sunda Is.Native

  • United States Minor Outlying Islands

    • HawaiiIntroduced

  • United States of America

    • HawaiiIntroduced

Climate of the native range

The Köppen climate classes found in the areas this plant is recorded as native to. It does not mean an entire area has that climate.

  • Af Tropical, rainforest
  • Am Tropical, monsoon
  • Aw Tropical, savannah
  • BSh Arid, steppe, hot
  • BWh Arid, desert, hot
  • Cfb Temperate, no dry season, warm summer

The same climate occurs in 187 areas worldwide, 170 of which have no record of this plant. See them on the map

A matching climate does not mean the plant can grow there. Range limits are also set by things other than climate — dispersal history, soils, competition. Source: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0 (observed period 1991–2020).

Recorded medicinal uses

The cited source records medicinal use of this plant. It is not an assessment of efficacy or safety.

  • Asplenium nidus is recorded as used medicinally.

    Source location: p.677, left column, line 12

    World Checklist of Useful Plant Species · Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity (KNB) · CC BY 4.0 · source version: wcups-2020-62602715

    Open source

Other names

Bird's-nest fern、Bird's-nest or Crow's-nest fern、Crow's-nest fern、Nest fern

Family
Aspleniaceae
Genus
Asplenium

Other species in Asplenium

Sources

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Australia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bangladesh · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Brunei Darussalam · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Christmas Island · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Fiji · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Micronesia, Federated States of · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Indonesia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    British Indian Ocean Territory · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Malaysia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Philippines · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Palau · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Papua New Guinea · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Singapore · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Solomon Islands · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Timor-Leste · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    United States Minor Outlying Islands · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    United States of America · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

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