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Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) Sw.
| Family Name: | Athyriaceae |
| Synonyms: | Hemionitis esculenta Retz. |
| Common Name: | Fiddlehead fern, Paku tanjung, Pucuk paku |
Diplazium esculentum or Fiddlehead Fern is a straggling fern that grows to 1 m tall. The young shoots or fronds of the Fiddlehead Fern are consumed as vegetables, sold in local markets throughout Asia and the Pacific Islands. Fronds are variable in size, bipinnate, linear leaflets with lobed to serrated margins.
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Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Ferns & Lycophytes (Non-Seed Vascular Plants) (Fern) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Herbaceous Plant |
| Maximum Height | 1 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Tropical and Subtropical Asia to Southwest Pacific Islands |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Vulnerable (VU)) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a straggling terrestrial fern that grows to 1 m tall with erect rhizomes. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Its fronds are variable in shape, bipinnate, often measure more than 1 m long. Each leaflet is linear, lobed to toothed with a papery texture. Leaflet have a pointed tip, subcordate (almost heart-shaped) to auriculate (ear-like lobes) base. Fronds are held on a long stipe measuring about 0.7 m long |
| Others - Plant Morphology | Sori linear, arranged diagonally from the midrib to the edge of the leaflet, covering nearly the length of the veinlets. Basal scales are dark brown, toothed with a black margin. |
| Habitat | Usually occurs on moist, level ground in paddy fields or along rivers in open places or at least in light shade on altitude less than 800m. |
| Cultivation | Despite its tolerance to full shade, it thrives better under partial shade - grown in moist, fertile well drained soils. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Edible Plant Parts : Edible Leaves Food (Fruit or Vegetable) Others: Diplazium esculentum is a popular edible fern sold in local markets throughout Asia and the Pacific. Young shoots or fronds are consumed as vegetables while the mature fronds are used for fodder or green manure. Dried rhizomes have insecticidal properties that helps deter insects and pests. This multi-use fern becomes a source of income for the lower socioeconomic communities, especially in the Himalayas. |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Semi-Shade, Full Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Fast |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils |
| Propagation Method | Spore, Storage Organ (Rhizome) |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Prominent Young Flush Colour(s) | Green |
| Foliar Type | Compound (Bipinnate) |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Basal |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Serrate / Toothed, Pinnately Lobed / Pinnatifid |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acuminate, Acute |
| Foliar Base | Auriculate, Cordate |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Stem Type & Modification | Herbaceous |
|---|---|
| Root Type | Underground (Fibrous Root) |
| Specialised Storage Organ(s) | Underground (Rhizome) |
References
| References | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (continuously updated). Plants of the World Online | Kew Science. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:17086810-1. Accessed 22 August 2022. Tagawa, M. & Iwatsuki, K (1988). Pteridophytes. Flora of Thailand, 3(3), pp. 450 - 466.Bangkok: Forest Herbarium, Royal Forest Department. |
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Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 33600 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 8014 |
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