Looks like a Hart's Tongue fern (Phyllitis scolopendrium) to me.

What do the sori look like? The sori (the singular is sorus) are groups of sporangia (which produce spores) on the undersides of the leaves. They generally look like dark brown lines or dots. If this were one of the bird's nest ferns (genus Asplenium) it would have sori that look like dark lines running from the center of the leaf. The sori of Phyllitis would look similar. The leaf texture on this makes me think it's a Polypodium, though; Polypodium crassipes looks a lot like this. If it's a Polypodium, it would have sori that look like dark brown dots in rows across the undersides of the leaves.

Sori of Asplenium nidus, a bird's nest fern:

http://lucerne.bio.indiana.edu/~paalexan/ferns/pages/Asplenium_n_11-2903_5998.html

Sori of Polypodium crassipes:

http://lucerne.bio.indiana.edu/~paalexan/otherplants/pages/Polypod_cras_11-3003_6113.html

On the Polypodium, the sori are white; this is because they are immature. They get larger and turn dark brown as they mature.

Patrick Alexander

I'll throw another name into the mix - Microsorum musifolium. They have those very prominant veins, and short rhizomes that give them almost (but not quite) a "bird's nest" look. They have little or no bare stipe below the blade, whereas P. scolopendrium will have a fairly obvious section of bare stipe. I believe the sori on M musifolium are acrostichoid (spread across the lower surface rather than in distinct dots or lines). I'm pretty sure that's what you've got. I'm a little surprised to hear WM has them though! A nice lady on the HP forum got a Polypodium formosanum at HD, so maybe there's hope yet for seeing some new ferns on the common market!

I have a lot of ferns, but you guys are way over my head. If sori are spores, I can't find anything that looks like spores on this fern.
When I searched for Microsorum musifolium on the web, I found a couple of pictures, and they look exactly like what I have; however I could find nothing on its hardiness. I'm guessing that it is not hardy in zone 8. Is that correct?

Oh, sorry to get technical witout explaining! Sori are clusters of spore cases (sporangia), and how they're arranged can be diagnostic for IDing ferns. Some ferns have to be pretty large and mature before spores show up, though. (My M. musifolium doesn't have any, either, but I know how they're supposed to look when they do eventually show up.)
You're right about it not being hardy. E. musifolium is a tender fern from SE Asia. If you keep it inside in winter (good light, but out of direct sun), you'll have a gorgeous plant, though :) I think it was a great find (but I'm partial to tropicals as they help me through our long winters.)
One more tip- the fronds can spot if they're watered with cold water.
And finally-- I do know how to spell "prominent". For some reason those spelling/typing error are much more obvious after I've submitted than they are when I proofread!

Microsorium musifolium is fairly rare in the trade tho, so I doubt it would be a walmart fern.

Recently some tissue culture labs got ahold of it, patented it under the name "crocodylus" or some junk. Pitiful really. Just the same, if it was that patented it would have a tag detailing what species it is.

btw Earlybird, where in SW georgia are you? I'm in Willacoochee, between Tifton and Waycross.

drew

I wouldn't bet much on the correct tags staying in the pots of box-store plants. I've seen that 'Crocodylus' tag, and I think somebody would find it cute enough to pull out & look at, if not take along. (I certainly don't condone that behavior; I just recognize that it exists.)

Yes, Drew, the pictures of the 'Crocodylus' in the link below look just like what I have. I feel lucky to have found it.
I am in Early County, Blakely, in extreme southwest Georgia. I don't get to Willacoochee very often, but if I do, I definitely want to see your nursery.

Here is a link that might be useful: 'Crocodylus'

Nice find at a Walmart. Beautiful fern isn't it. I've got one just like it. It's a Campyloneurum, and I believe the species is "phyllitidis". I also grow Campy xalapense, and Campy costatum. You can find these and most other genera of ferns in the Fern Grower's Manual by Hoshizaki & Moran.

Opps, I realized I misinformed you. The fern is Microsorum musafolia. In refreshing my memory I read where it is better not to spray the foliage as it may cause black spots. Mine is mounted on a board with spagnum moss and I just dunk the whole thing twice a week.

That Microsorum musifolium looks really cool!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:595797}}

Oh i just noticed the species name-musifolium. This tells me it has large leaves and it resembles a banana plant(Musa)

Yes, GreenLarry, that looks like what I have. Some of the leaves are quite large. I've moved it outside for the summer, but it hasn't put out any new fronds yet. Any suggestions?

might be a microsorum plant