Old World Climbing Fern

The Old World climbing fern, Lygodium microphyllum, is a species of fern native to tropical Africa, Southeast Asia, Melanesia and Australia, distinguished by long, vining fronds that climb over other vegetation rather than growing upright. Introduced to Florida, it has become an aggressive invasive weed there, smothering open forest and wetland habitats by forming dense mats over native plants.