Back

Tectaria barberi (Hook.) Copel.

Family Name:	Tectariaceae
Synonyms:	Tectaria crenata auct. non Cav. <5>, Dictyopteris barberi (Hook.) Bedd., Aspidium variolosum auct. non Wall. ex Hook.<3>, Aspidium zollingerianum auct. non Kunze. <2>

Tectaria barberi is a native fern of Singapore. It has bipinnate to bipinnatifid fronds where the lowest pair of leaflet either produce an enlarged lobe or divides further into smaller leaflets. The blade is dark green and shiny on the top while the sori are round to elongate, irregularly scattered with a lack of the protective layer, indusia.

Semi Shade

Moderate Water

Native to Singapore

Ferns and Lycophytes

Herbaceous Plant

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Name Status (botanical)
Synonyms
Comments
Species Summary

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Ferns & Lycophytes (Non-Seed Vascular Plants) (Fern)
Plant Growth Form	Herbaceous Plant

Biogeography

Native Distribution	Malesia, Borneo, Myanmar, Thailand, Sumatra
Native Habitat	Terrestrial (Primary Rainforest)
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical

Local Conservation Status

Native to Singapore (Least Concern (LC))

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form	It is an terrestrial fern with short-creeping rhizomes.
Foliage	When young, the fronds are 3 to 5 lobed with smooth margins. Fronds are usually bipinnatifid when small and bipinnate as they get larger. It is dark green coloured, slightly shiny on the top surface. Each frond holds up to 7 pairs of leaflet with its lowest pair producing either an enlarged lobed (bipinnatifid) or further divided into smaller leaflets (bipinnate). Held to a long dark brown stalk to 70 cm long, the blade can reach to 50 cm in length.
Reproductive Parts - non-flowering plant	The sori are small, round or oblong found on the underside, irregularly scattered. The protective layer, indusia is absent.

Others - Plant Morphology	The rhizomes are erect, short-creeping, the tips of the rhizomes and base of the stalk are covered in narrow to linear, stiff brown scales.
Habitat	Occurs in primary forest, near streams in forest near sea level. <1, 4>
Similar	Tectaria barberi and Tectaria incisa are similar in appearance. The key differences are found in the sori. The sori of Tectaria barbei are small, round to oblong, irregularly scattered on the underside. They also lack an indusia which is present in Tectaria incisa. The latter also have large, round to kidney-shaped sori with a presence of a round to kidney shaped indusia.
Cultivation	It can be propagated by spores.

Landscaping Features

SGMP Treatment

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Semi-Shade
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Plant Growth Rate	Moderate

Foliar

Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Foliar Type	Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Margin	Entire, Sinuate

Foliar Apex - Tip	Caudate, Acuminate
Foliar Base	Cuneate, Rounded / Obtuse

References

References	<1> Holttum, R.E. (1991). Tectaria. In: Holttum, R.E. (eds), Dryopteridaceae, Flora Malesiana, ser. 2, Pteridophyta, vol. 2, pt. 1, pp. 52. Leiden: Rijksherbarium. <2> Ridley, H.N. (1900). The Flora of Singapore. J. Straits Branch Roy. Asiat. Soc. 33: 191. <3> Ridley, H.N. (1908). A List of the Ferns of the Malay Peninsula. J. Straits Branch Roy. Asiat. Soc. 50: 33. <4> Tagawa, M. & Iwatsuki, K. (1988). Flora of Thailand, vol. 3(3), pp. 371 - 372. Bangkok: The Forest Herbarium, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. <5> Turner, I.M. & Chua, K.S. (2011). Checklist of the vascular plant species of the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research pp. 24.

References

<1> Holttum, R.E. (1991). Tectaria. In: Holttum, R.E. (eds), Dryopteridaceae, Flora Malesiana, ser. 2, Pteridophyta, vol. 2, pt. 1, pp. 52. Leiden: Rijksherbarium.

<2> Ridley, H.N. (1900). The Flora of Singapore. J. Straits Branch Roy. Asiat. Soc. 33: 191.

<3> Ridley, H.N. (1908). A List of the Ferns of the Malay Peninsula. J. Straits Branch Roy. Asiat. Soc. 50: 33.

<4> Tagawa, M. & Iwatsuki, K. (1988). Flora of Thailand, vol. 3(3), pp. 371 - 372. Bangkok: The Forest Herbarium, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

<5> Turner, I.M. & Chua, K.S. (2011). Checklist of the vascular plant species of the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research pp. 24.

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID	1982
Species ID	3274
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.

Species record last updated on: 14 April 2023.