In conducting the city's biodiversity survey, the Shenzhen Bureau of Ecology and Environment found eight wild water ferns in Bijiashan Park, Futian District.

The leaves of the water fern can be divided into sterile and fertile leaves, which show different forms. The sterile leaves are mainly for photosynthesis, while the fertile leaves are for reproduction.

The water fern population is tiny and enjoys national class II protection. The water fern was listed as a key plant in the first batch of the National Key Protected Wild Plants in 1999 and the second batch in 2021. It was also listed as a vulnerable species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

A native wild plant, the water fern is very sensitive to the survival environment and is considered an indicator of the ecological environment. It also has important scientific research and science popularization value.

This water fern species is distributed along small streams with healthy populations and high fecundity. Located north of the center of Shenzhen, Bijiashan Park is rich in wildlife resources. A natural mountain stream runs through the park, flowing into the Futian River, which provides favorable conditions for the growth of water ferns.

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