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Stenochlaena palustris
| Family Name: | Blechnaceae |
| Synonyms: | Stenochlaena scandens |
| Common Name: | Climbing Fern, Akar Paku, Paku Ranu, Paku Miding, 光叶藤蕨 |
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Name
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| Species Epithet | |
| Name Status (botanical) | |
| Synonyms | |
| Common Names | |
| Comments |
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Ferns & Allies (Non-Seed Vascular Plants) (Fern) |
| Plant Growth Form | Epiphyte |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and India. |
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal |
| Local Conservation Status | Native to Singapore (Common) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | Ground fern with a creeping or climbing habit, up to 10 m in length, green rhizome that is scale-less when mature. The growing end is covered with overlapping, round to shield-shaped, brown scales. |
| Foliage | Frond stalks are 15 - 20 cm long, well spaced on the rhizome and are smooth and hairless except when they are young. The frond axis is slightly grooved on the upper surface, mature fronds are stiff, leathery and dark green, young fronds are pale reddish-green. The fronds are pinnate compound, the new fronds being red-pink and softer in texture as compared to the mature fronds. There are two types of fronds, the sterile fronds have ovate to ovate-lanceolate leaflets while the fertile fronds are very narrow, the leaflet margins packed with sporangia. Both types are 40 - 80 cm long, have 8 - 15 pairs of leaflets and 1 terminal leaflet. Upper leaflets are reduced in size and lateral leaflets usually have ear-like lobes, but this is absent in the terminal leaflet. |
| Others - Plant Morphology | Spores have a 2-sided symmetry and are colourless and transparent. |
| Habitat | Occurs in the lowlands, open places and secondary forests where there is enough moisture, most common in swamp forest. |
| Etymology | Genus Stenochlaena means "narrow-cloak" and refers to the sporangia covering the entire surface of the linear fertile pinnae. Species palustris means "of swampy ground". |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Edible Plant Parts (Edible Leaves) Food (Fruit & Vegetable : The young fronds are collected as a vegetable and fried with sambal belacan.) [Others]: A durable rope can be made from the stems. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Foliage |
| Plant & Rootzone Preference - Tolerance | Moist Soils |
| Landscape Uses | Parks & Gardens, Vertical Greenery / Green Wall |
| Usage Hazard - Cons | Spines/Thorns - Leaf |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Seed or Spore Dispersal | Abiotic |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Semi-Shade |
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Propagation Method | Spore, Division |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Foliar Margin | Serrate / Toothed |
Image Repository
| Images |
Others
| Master ID | 30436 |
| Species ID | 4745 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |