XVI International Botanical Congess

The breadfruit fern is commonly cultivated in Barbados and grows spontaneously at a few locations. The cultivated material keys to Phlebodium aureum (L.) J. Sm. It is, however, on the small side of size measurements (cf. regional floras) and rarely has more than five pairs of lateral segments to its deeply pinnatifid leaves. Not all the leaves found are divided and the segment number varies. Entire leaves, leaves with a single lateral lobe, and with varying numbers of pairs of lobes can be seen on an individual rhizome. Fertile entire leaves and fertile leaves with a single pair of lobes occur. This variation is displayed and discussed.