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Weird Weed

Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 11:58 pm
by foxd
I have had this weed growing in a pot with the remains of a pineapple plant. It has been slow growing and I keep looking at trying to figure out what it is. Any ideas anyone?

Re: Weird Weed

Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 3:45 am
by JWH
Maybe a fern of some kind?

Re: Weird Weed

Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 1:36 pm
by foxd
JWH wrote:Maybe a fern of some kind?
That was my thought when it first showed up, but there is now a stem and the leaves don't quite look "ferny" to me.

Re: Weird Weed

Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 2:19 pm
by Tarzanus
Apple pine.

Are these leaves part of one leaf or are they growing one by one? I've seen similar fern-like thingie, but it seems it has long stem. Wait and see, I guess.

Re: Weird Weed

Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 2:45 pm
by foxd
Tarzanus wrote:Apple pine.

Are these leaves part of one leaf or are they growing one by one? I've seen similar fern-like thingie, but it seems it has long stem. Wait and see, I guess.
Some of the leaves are fused together, some are not. I'm trying to decide if I should move it to a new pot and give it more light in case it turns out to be something I want. :?

Re: Weird Weed

Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 1:35 pm
by foxd
I've now moved it to a small pot and am giving it more light. It it now putting up a new shoot which is unrolling in a fernlike manner.

There is a fern that is native to Ohio that grows like a vine. Weird!

Re: Weird Weed

Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2014 2:54 pm
by foxd
I'm tenatively identifying it as some sort of Lygodium. Not sure if it is an import or the native one though.

Re: Weird Weed

Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 3:06 pm
by foxd
Definitely a fern of some type. I will try and post a picture since it looks a whole lot different now. Meanwhile, several other things have sprouted in the pot, a shoot off the Pineapple and what I suspect if a Cypress Vine..

Re: Weird Weed

Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2014 3:05 am
by foxd
Finally got around to taking some pictures or it. Does anybody recognize this fern?
fern1.jpg
Close-up picture of one of the fronds.
Fern2.jpg

Re: Weird Weed

Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2014 7:22 pm
by Tarzanus
Wow, doesn't really look like fern. Perhaps fern that is a couple of millions age old. Photo from bit more distant position might be in place.
Are you sure it's fern? Does it unfold each "leaf" the way other ferns do it? At least around here, I haven't seen anything quite like it.

Re: Weird Weed

Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2014 11:09 pm
by foxd
Tarzanus wrote:Wow, doesn't really look like fern. Perhaps fern that is a couple of millions age old. Photo from bit more distant position might be in place.
Are you sure it's fern? Does it unfold each "leaf" the way other ferns do it? At least around here, I haven't seen anything quite like it.
Yes, the fronds unfurl like other ferns do. Some of the fronds have a brown border which I am pretty sure are sporangia.

Re: Weird Weed

Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2014 8:56 am
by Tarzanus
Could it be Asplenium rhizophyllum -Walking fern. I'm not sure about it's weird appearance with small and not really symmetric fronds. It does seem it's one of Asplenium ferns tho.

Re: Weird Weed

Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2014 12:14 pm
by foxd
It doesn't match the description of Asplenium rhizophyllum. I'm thinking it might be some species of Lygodium.

Re: Weird Weed

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 8:21 pm
by foxd
I think I have a possible ID on the fern: Lygodium articulatum. I'm not 100% sure, but the "leaf" shape is right.

Re: Weird Weed

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2014 3:03 pm
by foxd
I'm still researching this from time to time. Fronds are getting longer and it looks like it is starting to change the leaf shape. This combined with what appears to be a lot of mis-identification of the various Lygodium species on websites is making things difficult. I'm hoping it turns out to be the native species rather than one of the invasive ones.