A genus of tropical ferns with delicate, feathery fronds, commonly known as 'squirrel's foot fern' due to their fuzzy rhizomes.
Named after an 18th-century botanist (Davall), following Linnaean tradition of naming genera after scientists. The '-ia' ending is standard for feminine botanical names.
Davallia ferns got their 'squirrel's foot' nickname from their fuzzy aerial roots—Victorian fern collectors became obsessed with them, creating a whole houseplant fad that predates modern plant influencers by 150 years!
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