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Ctenitis sloanei (Poepp. ex Spreng.) C.V. Morton
Florida tree fern, Red-hair comb fern

Ctenitis sloanei
Copyright by: George D. Gann

Family: Dryopteridaceae

Group: Pteridophyte

Substrate: Terrestrial

Habit: Herb

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: Peninsular Florida, the West Indies (Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Lesser Antilles), Mexico, Central America and South America.

Map of Florida Locations

NatureServe Global Status: Secure

State of Florida Status: Endangered

Florida Natural Areas Inventory State Status: Imperiled

IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Critically Imperiled

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native

South Florida History and Distribution: Ranked as imperiled in Rare Plants of South Florida (Gann et al. 2002), this was reranked as critically imperiled using updated NatureServe criteria in 2025.

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated

Comments: Visit our Natives For Your Neighborhood website for more information and images. For a comparison of the vascular bundles between the invasive Mariana maiden fern and the native, endangered Florida tree fern from Connect to Protect Network, click here.

Other data on Ctenitis sloanei available from :

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Ctenitis sloanei has been found in the following 12 conservation areas :
Occurrence Native Status
Big Cypress National Preserve Present Native
Bill Sadowski Park Present Native
Black Creek Forest Present Native
Camp Owaissa Bauer Present Native
Castellow Hammock Park Present Native
Deering Estate at Cutler Present Native
Everglades National Park Possibly Extirpated Possibly Extirpated
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park Present Native
Fern Forest Nature Center Present Native
Fuchs Hammock Preserve Present Native
Hattie Bauer Hammock Possibly Extirpated Possibly Extirpated
Matheson Hammock Park Present Native

Ctenitis sloanei has been found in the following 3 counties :
Occurrence Native Status
Broward County Native
Collier County Native
Miami-Dade County Native

Ctenitis sloanei has been found in the following 2 habitats :
Rockland Hammock
Strand Swamp

All Images:

Ctenitis sloanei
Copyright by: George D. Gann
Ctenitis sloanei
Copyright by: Shirley Denton
Ctenitis sloanei
Copyright by: Shirley Denton
Ctenitis sloanei
Copyright by: Shirley Denton
Ctenitis sloanei
Copyright by: Keith A. Bradley
Ctenitis sloanei
Copyright by: Keith A. Bradley
Ctenitis sloanei
Copyright by: Connect to Protect Network. A comparison of the vascular bundles between the invasive Mariana maiden fern and the native, endangered Florida tree fern. To view this photo enlarged, click here.
Ctenitis sloanei
Copyright by: Keith A. Bradley