Common Name:

General Information

Stenochlaena palustris is a coarse, climbing fern of indefinite length. The rhizomes can attach themselves to the trunks of trees by means of adhesive roots[]. The stems are brown, smooth, somewhat less than 1 centimetre in diameter and sparingly branched. The sterile fronds are up to 80 centimetres in length, the fertile fronds somewhat shorter[].
An important tying material and fibre plant for local use - the stems are sold in quantity in local markets[].

Known Hazards

Although we have found no reports of toxicity for this species, a number of ferns contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable[].
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[].

Botanical References

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Range

E. Asia - India, southern China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Australia to the Pacific Islands.

Habitat

Open places and secondary forest at elevations from near sea level to 400 metres in China[]. Widely distributed in thickets, usually in swampy places near the sea[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Fern
Height	5.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A very adaptable plant, it can succeed in full sun or deep shade[]. Succeeds in wet and moist soils[]. Prefers an acid soil[].

Edible Uses

Young shoots - raw as a salad or cooked[]. Much esteemed in Java as a lalab (a vegetable salad served with sambal) with rice, or cooked in soups[]. The young leaves are wine-red in colour and are used to make a soup, which has the same colour[].

Medicinal

The plant is used in traditional medicine[].

The leaves contain five flavonol glycosides (stenopalustrosides A - E) as well as a cerebroside, and several kaempferols. No alkaloids were found[].
The stenopalustrosides A - D showed significant activity against gram-positive bacteria[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Plants can be used as ground cover in shady situations[].

Other Uses

The stems are noted for their durability when submerged in salt water, and for this reason are in great demand for tying together the bamboo frames of which fish traps are made[]. The stems are usually from 2 to 4 metres long[]. The fibre from the stems is also used for making ropes, belts and occasionally baskets, but it is inferior for the latter purpose[, ].

Propagation

Spores -
Division. Large divisions establish better than small ones[].

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