This fern was first described in 1985. It was placed on the endangered species list in 1993. At that time it was known to exist at two locations in the mountain forests of Puerto Rico, one near the Río Inabón in the Toro Negro Commonwealth Forest and one on Cerro Rosa in Ciales (Cerro Rosa is also located in the Toro Negro State Forest). In total there were about 46 individual plants counted.