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Useful Tropical Plants

Phlebodium aureum

(L.) J.Sm.

Polypodiaceae


This species is recognised by some authorities as Polypodium aureum[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

+ Synonyms

Chrysopteris aurea (L.) Link

Pleopeltis aurea (L.) C.Presl

Polypodium aureum L.

Common Name: Golden Polypody

Phlebodium aureum
Plant growing in the foreground and various other places on the woodland floor
Photograph by: Forest and Kim Starr
Creative Commons License
Phlebodium aureum Phlebodium aureum Phlebodium aureum Phlebodium aureum Phlebodium aureum Phlebodium aureum Phlebodium aureum

General Information

Golden polypody is an epiphytic, or occasionally terrestrial, fern with fronds growing 30 - 120cm long from a creeping rhizome about 2cm thick[
489
Title
Ferns and Fern Allies of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History
Year
1981
ISBN
 
Description
A flora of the ferns of Guatemala, giving some plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
The plant is sometimes collected from the wild for local medicinal use. It is sometimes cultivated in Honduras, and semi-cultivated in Mexico for medicinal purposes[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
]. The rhizomes are sold in local markets in Mexico, where it is known as 'Calaguala'[
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.
].

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

488
Title
Pteridophyta of Peru
Publication
 
Author
Tryon R.M.: Stolze R.G.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History
Year
1993
ISBN
 
Description
A flora of the fern species in Peru. It cam be downloaded from the Internet.

Range

S. America - Paraguay and Brazil, north through Central America to Mexico and through the Caribbean to Florida.

Habitat

Terrestrial, especially among rocks, or epiphytic, at elevations of 900 - 2,600 metres in Peru[
488
Title
Pteridophyta of Peru
Publication
 
Author
Tryon R.M.: Stolze R.G.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History
Year
1993
ISBN
 
Description
A flora of the fern species in Peru. It cam be downloaded from the Internet.
]. In open forests, on tree trunks, or occasionally in soil or on mossy rocks, at elevations of 1,200 - 2,200 metres in Guatemala[
489
Title
Ferns and Fern Allies of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History
Year
1981
ISBN
 
Description
A flora of the ferns of Guatemala, giving some plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *  *
HabitFern
Height1.00 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Semi-cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The rhizome is said to be febrifuge and sudorific[
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.
]. A decoction is reputed to be a remedy for coughs and for kidney ailments[
489
Title
Ferns and Fern Allies of Guatemala
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Field Museum of Natural History
Year
1981
ISBN
 
Description
A flora of the ferns of Guatemala, giving some plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-05. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Phlebodium+aureum>

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