How to Identify a Nest Fern

1. Rhizome

The whole plant of the nest fern is about 1-1.2 meters tall. The rhizome is relatively upright, thick and short, woody, dark brown in color, about 2-3 cm thick, with dense scales at the tip, linear, about 1-1.7 cm long, fibrous and curled at the tip, and long curled cilia on the edges are dark brown and membranous.

2. Blades

The leaves of the nest fern are clustered, broadly lanceolate, about 90-120 cm long, thick papery or thinly leathery, dark straw-colored, smooth on the surface, gray-green when dry, and hairless on both sides. It has a pointed tip and is wider in the middle, with the widest part being about 9-15 cm. It gradually narrows downwards, with a wide longitudinal groove on the top, and the edge is entire and cartilaginous.