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Useful Tropical Plants

Drynaria rigidula

(Sw.) Bedd.

Polypodiaceae

+ Synonyms

Aglaomorpha rigidula (Sw.) Hovenkamp & S.Linds.

Drynaria baudouinii E.Fourn.

Drynaria gaudichaudii Bory

Drynaria glaucistipes J.Sm.

Drynaria pinnata Fée

Goniophlebium rigidulum T.Moore

Phymatodes gaudichaudii C.Presl

Polypodium baudouinii Baker

Polypodium cuspidatum Moritz

Polypodium diversifolium R.Br.

Polypodium gaudichaudii Bory

Polypodium glaucistipes Wall.

Polypodium rigidulum Sw.

Polypodium simplex Burm.f.

Polypodium speciosum Blume

Common Name: Basket Fern

Drynaria rigidula
This species is very adaptable, with a number of growth habits. It grows on trees in rainforest and tall open forest, on rocks, as here, in more open areas
Photograph by: Tatiana Gerus
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0
Drynaria rigidula Drynaria rigidula Drynaria rigidula

General Information

Drynaria rigidula is a robust, epiphytic fern with a long, creeping rhizome, growing up to 1.5 metres tall. It produces two types of annual frond - short, sterile ones up to 35cm tall that remain on the plant for several years and have a main purpose of trapping organic material to provide nutrient for the plant, and taller fertile shoots that produce spores[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
The young fronds are sometimes gathered from the wild for local consumption, whilst the root has medicinal uses. The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental.

Known Hazards

Although we have found no reports of toxicity for this species, a number of ferns contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Many ferns also contain thiaminase, an enzyme that robs the body of its vitamin B complex. In small quantities this enzyme will do no harm to people eating an adequate diet that is rich in vitamin B, though large quantities can cause severe health problems. The enzyme is destroyed by heat or thorough drying, so cooking the plant will remove the thiaminase[
172
Title
Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
Publication
 
Author
Schofield. J. J.
Publisher
Alaska Northwest Books; Alaska
Year
2003
ISBN
0882403699
Description
A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.
].

Botanical References

200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

Range

E. Asia - southern China, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indo-China, Philippines to Australia and the Pacific

Habitat

An epiphyte, found growing on tree trunks, rocks and cliff faces in tropical forests and scrub[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Epiphytic, encircling tree trunks many times, rarely epilithic; at elevations from sea level to 2,000 metres, occasionally to 2,400 metres[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitDeciduous Fern
Height1.50 m
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of moist tropical areas with a distinct dry season, though it can also thrive where there is no dry season[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].

Once dried, fertile fronds can be removed from the plant in the dormant season; the smaller, dried sterile fronds, however, should be allowed to remain, however, since they serve to trap leaves and other debris which rots down and feeds the plant[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].

Edible Uses

Young fronds - cooked and eaten as a vegetable[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
61
Title
A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
Publication
 
Author
Usher. G.
Publisher
Constable
Year
1974
ISBN
0094579202
Description
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
].

Medicinal

The rhizome is astringent. It is used locally to treat persistent diarrhoea and virulent gonorrhoea[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. The rhizomes are said to treat similar diseases to those treated by the rhizomes of Drynaria quercifolia, such as diarrhoea, dysentery and gonorrhoea[
61
Title
A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
Publication
 
Author
Usher. G.
Publisher
Constable
Year
1974
ISBN
0094579202
Description
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
,
1755
Title
Antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibition activity of the fertile fronds and rhizomes of three different Drynaria specie
Publication
BMC Res Notes (2015) 8:468
Author
Joash Ban Lee Tan & Yau Yan Lim
Website
http://10.1186/s13104-015-1414-3
Publisher
 
Year
2015
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

The fertile fronds have shown a moderately high antioxidant activity[
1755
Title
Antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibition activity of the fertile fronds and rhizomes of three different Drynaria specie
Publication
BMC Res Notes (2015) 8:468
Author
Joash Ban Lee Tan & Yau Yan Lim
Website
http://10.1186/s13104-015-1414-3
Publisher
 
Year
2015
ISBN
 
Description
 
]

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Spores -
Division of the rootstock. Larger divisions with shoots establish best, but even smaller sections without shoots are able to produce adventitious shoots[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Drynaria+rigidula>

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