Stenochlaena palustris

Primary tabs

Stenochlaena palustris

Description

Scrambling, long creeping fern, or high climbing epiphyte with base rooted to the ground, fronds widely spaced, horizontal to pendulous with drooping pinnae.

Distribution

Asia-Tropical: India present, Pacific: Samoa (Samoa present); Tonga (Tonga present), Southeast Asia present, northeast Australia present
India, throughout southeast Asia; in Malesia: Throughout; northeast Australia, and eastwards to Tonga and Samoa.

Notes

The juvenile leaves of this species are deep reddish. In some areas (Manus, Sepik, Upper Fly, Milne Bay etc.) these young fronds are harvested and cooked as a vegetable. See also note under S. milnei.

Citation

C.Presl 1851: Epimel. Bot.: 164
Bedd. 1883: Handb. Ferns Brit. India: 421
Holttum 1954: p. 412. – In: Revis. Fl. Malaya: f. 241