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This rare native grows on the rocks in very dark mesic hammocks around shaded limestone ledges, sinkholes, and outcrops in Citrus, Hernando, Martin, and Palm Beach Counties (Wunderlin, 2003). These pictures were taken in Ft. Lauderdale’s Fern Forest. Tectaria heracleifolia is listed as threatened in the Preservation of Native Flora of Florida Act.

Broad halberd fern can be mistaken for the not-so-rare invasive fern, incised halberd fern (Tectaria incisa).