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Tectaria incisa Cav.

Family Name:	Tectariaceae
Common Name:	Incised Halberd Fern

Tectaria incisa or Incised Halberd Fern is large terrestrial fern with creeping rhizomes and fronds growing up to 1.5 m tall. It has bipinnatifid fronds that are pale green, holding up to 7 pairs of leaflets with its lowest pair producing 1 -2 enlarged lobes. Sori are large, produced on 2 rows on either side of the veinlets protected by a round to kidney-shaped indusia.

Full Shade

Semi Shade

Moderate Water

Occasional Misting

Ferns and Lycophytes

Herbaceous Plant

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Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
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Comments
Species Summary

Classifications and Characteristics

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

Biogeography

Native Distribution	Tropical to Subtropical America
Native Habitat	Terrestrial (Disturbed Area / Open Ground, Primary Rainforest, Secondary Rainforest, Riverine, Inland Cliff)
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal

Local Conservation Status

Non-native (Spontaneous (Naturalised))

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form	It is a large terrestrial fern with erect, short-creeping rhizomes and fronds growing up to 150 cm in length.
Foliage	Fronds are bipinnatifid, 70 - 150 cm long, held on a straw to brownish coloured stalk. The blade is pale green, not very leathery or shiny, holding up to 7 pairs of leaflets with its lowest pair producing 1, sometimes 2 enlarged lobes. The leaflets never divides into smaller leaflets hence bipinnate foliage is not observed in this species.
Reproductive Parts - non-flowering plant	Sori produced in 2 rows on either side of the veinlets protected a layer known as indusia that is round to kidney-shaped. <1>

Others - Plant Morphology	Rhizomes are erect, short. The tips of the rhizomes and base of the stalk are covered with ovate scales.
Habitat	Occurs in primary forest, cloud forest, along hillsides, ravines and roadside, often found among rocks, on wet shade cliffs 100 - 2100 m in altitude. <2> In Singapore, it is a garden plant naturalised in many secondary forests and in the margins of primary forest. Prefers moist sites such as streambanks and drainage ditches.
Similar	Tectaria incisa and Tectaria barberi 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. Tectaria incisa have larger sori arranged along the sides of the veinlets protected by a round to kidney-shaped indusia.
Cultivation	It can be propagated by spores.

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Semi-Shade, Full Shade
Water Preference	Moderate Water, Occasional Misting
Plant Growth Rate	Moderate

Rootzone Tolerance	Fertile Loamy Soils, Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils
Propagation Method	Spore

Foliar

Foliage Retention	Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green - Light Green
Foliar Type	Compound

Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Oblong, Ovate)
Foliar Margin	Entire, Pinnately Lobed / Pinnatifid

Non - Foliar and Storage

Root Type	Underground (Fibrous Root)
Specialised Storage Organ(s)	Underground (Rhizome)

References

References	<1> Morton, C.V. (1966). The Mexican Species of Tectaria. American Fern Journal 56(1): 129-131. <2> Tryon, R.M. & Stolze, R.G. (1991). Pteridophyta of Peru, vol. 4(27), pp. 24. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History.

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Master ID	32474
Species ID	6886
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: 23 March 2023.