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Useful Tropical Plants

Stenochlaena tenuifolia

(Desv.) Moore

Blechnaceae


Stenochlaena mildbraedii Brause, (treated here as a synonym) is recognised by some authors as a second, distinct representative of the genus in Africa. It is distinguished by its pinnate fertile leaves as compared to the bipinnate fertile leaves of Stenochlaena tenuifolia. However, several authors have noticed the presence of both forms in a single collection (although it could not be established with certainty whether these parts originated from one individual). Electron microscope studies of the spores of the two leaf types confirmed that they are identical[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

+ Synonyms

Acrostichum meyerianum Hook.

Acrostichum tenuifolium Baker

Lomaria meyeriana Kunze

Lomaria tenuifolia Desv.

Lomariobotrys tenuifolia (Desv.) Fée

Lomariopsis tenuifolia Christ

Polybotrya meyeriana Mett.

Polybotrya tenuifolia Kuhn

Stenochlaena meyeriana C.Presl

Stenochlaena mildbraedii Brause

Common Name: African Climbing Fern

Stenochlaena tenuifolia
Plant growing in native habitat. The stem with the very narrow 'leaves' is the fertile frond where the spores will be produced
Photograph by: Charles Rakotovao
Creative Commons License
Stenochlaena tenuifolia Stenochlaena tenuifolia

General Information

African climbing fern is a large fern with a straggling and climbing rhizome that can be up to 20 metres long and 15mm in diameter; it can growing high up into the surrounding trees. The leathery leaves can be up to 180cm long, with pinnate sterile leaves up to 100cm long. The rather coarse, pinnate fronds are widely spaced and quickly cover large areas[
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.
,
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is sometimes grown as a ground cover.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

610
Title
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Publication
 
Author
Beentje H.J.
Website
http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=396814
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
2002
ISBN
 
Description
Available on-line, a modern flora of East Africa.

Range

Africa - Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, DR Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Angola, Mozambique, S. Africa, Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius.

Habitat

Coastal swamp forest[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Properties

Weed PotentialYes
Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitFern
Height15.00 m
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details


A very adaptable plant, able to grow in full sun even though deep to moderate shade are its normal habitat[
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.
]. Plants can succeed in moist soils as well as the wetter conditions they usually grow in[
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.
]. Prefers an acid soil[
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 plant was introduced to Florida, where it is now considered to be a weed[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Edible Uses

Young fronds, known as croziers or fiddleheads, are eaten[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Medicinal

The sap is taken with a ripe banana as an aphrodisiac[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

Stenochlaena tenuifolia can be used as ground cover[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. An excellent ground cover for positions that are too wet and shaded for other plants, able to quickly cover large areas[
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.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-10. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Stenochlaena+tenuifolia>

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