| Author | (Thunberg) Swartz | |
| Distribution | On rich soils of old terraces of the Cape Fear River (Cumberland County) and Piedmont (Lee and Mecklenburg counties). First collected in 1933 "near Fayetteville"; still present in 2020. Collected in Lee County in 1958 on a slope by the Deep River. Collected in Mecklenburg County on the campus of UNC Charlotte in 1975; present at Bearden Park in 2017. A specimen from Wilson County was from cultivated plants. Brian England found established plants in Wake County in 2018, and he collected o specimen in 2021.
Native of eastern Asia; in N.A. NC to FL and TX. | |
| Abundance | Rare and local, so far as is known. A very serious weed in Florida and elsewhere in the Deep South, but not yet a problem here in NC. | |
| Habitat | Various disturbed places, several from wooded sites. Known to climb fences, such as at an old cemetery in Fayetteville. | |
| Phenology | | |
| Identification | Like our native Lygodium palmatum, Japanese Climbing-fern produces very long leaves that seem to be stem branches. These may grow 3-20 feet (or more) and twine around supporting vegetation. They bear pinnately to palmately lobed leaflets that do not look like a hand (unlike our native species). | |
| Taxonomic Comments | | |
| Other Common Name(s) | | |
| State Rank | SE | |
| Global Rank | GNR | |
| State Status | | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | FAC link |
| USACE-emp | FAC link |
