Ceratopteris thalictroides

Ceratopteris thalictroides is a fern species belonging to the genus Ceratopteris, one of only two genera of the subfamily Parkerioideae of the family Pteridaceae.

Description

A fern which grows in water. It is an annual plant. It grows 10-35 cm tall. It has soft upright stalks with light green soft fronds. The rhizome is short and sticks up. There are thin, clear, scales on the rhizome. The leaves vary from simple leaves, to leaves which are divided 3 times. The stem is anchored in mud. It grows as tufted clumps. Leaves are like carrot tops. The stem of the frond is spongy and air filled. It can grow under the water or be free floating. It produces small plants on the fronds. The fertile fronds which produce the spores, are longer and more finely divided, than the other fronds. They are more stiff and erect and turn brown when mature. The plant only lasts a few months.

Edible Uses

The fronds are cooked and eaten as a vegetable in Madagascar and Swaziland, New Guinea, Nepal, and Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. It has been used similarly to watercress. In Malaysia and Japan, uncurled fronds have been used in salads. Some ferns are potentially carcinogenic when eaten; this may be the case in Ceratopteris thalictroides.

Traditional Uses

The plant is edible. It can be used raw or cooked. The young fronds are eaten in stir-fries. The young uncurled fronds can be eaten raw.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

Rhizomes and fronds are used as medicine for foetal toxins and accumulation of phlegm. Both the leaves and the root are used as a poultice against skin complaints, e.g. as a drawing agent on carbuncles. In China they are used as a styptic to stop bleeding. Alkaloids, arbutin and tannin have been found in the green parts of the plant.

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.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in still or slow flowing fresh water in the tropics. It occurs in swamps up to 1300 m altitude in Papua New Guinea, but it is mostly below 500 m. It can float. It is found in all tropical countries. It is very frost tender. They occur throughout the Philippines near sea level on mud and are able to thrive in shallow water. It grows well in acidic soil (pH 5-6.5) and in shady places. It needs temperatures above 18°C. It grows in wetlands.

Where It Grows

Africa, Andaman Is., Angola, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Central America, Chad, China, Colombia, Congo DR, Congo R, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Guam, Guianas, French Guinea, Guatemala,Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Laos, Liberia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malawi, Mali, Marianas, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicobar Is., Nigeria, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Panama, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Romania, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

It is grown as an aquarium plant. Small pieces of plant will root in mud. Spores can also grow.

Propagation

Spores - Bulbils growing on the leaves. Any part of the leaf, if left floating in the water, will give rise to new plantlets.

Other Uses

The plants can be used as a green manure in rice fields.

Other Information

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable.

Notes

There are 3-4 Ceratopteris species. They are also put in the family Ceratopteridaceae and Parkeriaceae. It grows throughout the lowland tropic in estuaries and swamps.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Floating stag's horn, Hihiawai, Oriental water fern, Pakis air, Pakis rawa, Pakis tespong, Paku chai, Paku roman, Paku tespong, Pani dhaniya, Pani dhekia, Pani shak, Sachi, Sayur kodok, Sumatra fern, Water fern

References (58)

• Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 117 (As Ceratopteris siliquosa)
• Amoroso, V. B., et al., 2017, Bringing back the Lost Value of Philippine EdibleFerns: Their Antioxidant, Proteins and Utilization. International Journal of Advanced research. 5(4), 757-770
• Andrews, S.B., 1990, Ferns of Queensland. A handbook to the ferns and fern allies. Queensland DPI p 90
• BARC, 2016, State of Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council.
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 239

More from Pteridaceae

Cheilanthes capensis

Lip fern

Cheilanthes pteridioides - (Reichard.)C.Chr.

Ressurection Fern

Coniogramme emeiensis

Coniogramme falcata

Coniogramme fraxinea

Coniogramme intermedia