- sword fern - any of several tropical ferns having more or less sword-shaped fronds including one from which the Boston fern developed
--1 is a kind of fern
--1 is a member of Nephrolepis, genus Nephrolepis
--1 has particulars:Boston fern, Nephrolepis exaltata, Nephrolepis exaltata bostoniensis; basket fern, toothed sword fern, Nephrolepis pectinata