Diplazium esculentum

Diplazium esculentum, the vegetable fern, is an edible fern found throughout Asia and Oceania. It is probably one of the most commonly consumed ferns. The genus Diplazium is in the family Athyriaceae, in the eupolypods II clade of the order Polypodiales, in the class Polypodiopsida.

Description

A large fern with an upright stem. It forms tufts. It is only woody near the base. It can be 1 m high and 1 m wide. It usually grows as a large clump. It spreads by underground runners. They have feather like fronds which are 50 to 80 cm long and divided 2 or 3 times. The leaf stalks are black near the bottom. The secondary leaflets are pointed at the tip. The end sections of the leaf are many, about 8 cm long and 1 cm wide. The leaflets are notched like a saw and about 2 to 5 cm long.

Edible Uses

Diplazium esculentum is considered the most important edible fern worldwide and is widely used as a vegetable across Asia, Oceania, and the Himalayas. It is notably rich in iron, phosphorus, potassium, and proteins. The young leaves are eaten as lalab — a vegetable salad served with sambal and rice. Young fronds are also boiled, stir-fried, used in salads, blanched, pickled, or dried and reconstituted for later cooking. The flavour is often compared to overcooked asparagus, and fronds are generally cooked before eating to avoid bitterness.

Traditional Uses

The fronds are cooked and eaten as a vegetable. They are also used in stews. They can be fried. They can be steamed in earth ovens. They are cooked with daal. Very young leaves are also eaten raw in salads.

Medicinal Uses

A decoction of the leaves is used as a tonic for women after childbirth. Traditional medicinal uses include treatment of fever, dermatitis, measles, headaches, pain, coughs, wounds, dysentery, glandular swellings, toothaches, and diarrhoea. The plant is reported to have laxative, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anthelmintic, analgesic, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities. Extracts have also shown in vitro anti-trypanosomal activity.

Known Hazards

The young fronds are stir-fried and used in salads. They may have mild amounts of fern toxins but no major toxic effects are recorded. It is known as pakô ("wing") in the Philippines, pucuk paku and paku tanjung in Malaysia, sayur paku or pakis in Indonesia, phak koot (Thai: ผักกูด) in Thailand, rau dớn in Vietnam, dhekia (Assamese: ঢেঁকীয়া) in Assamese, Dhenki Shaak (Bengali: ঢেঁকি শাক) in Bengali, paloi saag (Bengali: পালই শাগ) in Eastern Bengali, ningro in Nepali, dingkia in Boro and linguda in northern India, referring to the curled fronds. It is known as pohole or hō'i'o in Hawaiian cuisine. The ferns grow in wet areas of shady valleys. The fern species Diplazium esculentum is believed to have been introduced and naturalized in Hawaii and was first reported collected in 1910. The fern also has medicinal uses.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in moist tropical places. It mostly occurs in coastal areas. It is common in wet areas. It grows along riversides and in wet areas usually with running water. It grows in wetlands. It also occurs in Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Fiji and is used as a food there. They are widely distributed in the Philippines on areas of gravel and the banks of streams. Plants are frost tender. In Vietnam it grows up to 2,000 m above sea level. In China it grows between 100-1,200 m above sea level. In Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Africa, Asia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bougainville, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hawaii, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Nigeria, Northeastern India, NW India, Oceania, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Philippines, SE Asia, Sikkim, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, USA, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Africa, West Papua,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from spores. They need to be in a well drained potting medium and kept with a high humidity. The spores need a temperature of 21°C and sown as soon as ripe. Plants should be transplanted into a moist well drained soil with partial shade. Plants can also be grown by separating out the underground runners.

Propagation

Spores germinate readily and develop quickly. The plant can also be propagated by division of plantlets produced at the roots.

Other Uses

Diplazium esculentum is an attractive ornamental garden plant whose spores are sold online and through local nurseries. It can be grown in containers and makes a good groundcover in semi-shady locations, though it performs poorly in full sun or deep shade. Dried rhizomes are used as an insecticide, and the leaves are used as green manure and cattle bedding.

Production

The fronds will only store for a very short time so need to be used quickly.

Other Information

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. One of the commonly used and popular ferns of the Asian tropical lowland areas. Young freshly uncurled fronds are common in markets.

Notes

There are about 400 Diplazium species. They have also been put in the families Aspleniaceae and Woodsiaceae.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Akwukwo nni, Aule chipley nigro, Bajey, Cha-kawk, Churuli, Corotonh, Daoche, Daomalai, Denkhi, De pi, Dhekia sak, Dhekia shak, Dhekiya, Dhuskia, Dumkek, Edible fern, Gamchekoh, Gleilei, Guo gun, Hasdam, Hokapadma, Injjo arxa, Itsatam, Jhur-tyrkhang, Jiao gai, Kaaki, Kalasevu-ni-veikau, Kasroor, Kasume, Keeraicurry, Kochiya, Konji, Konkodi kura, Kosikosiri, Kuanji, Kukri sag, Kukuling, Kuturke, Kutherku, Kuthalla, Kuut khue, Kuware-shida, Lauta, Lingra, Lingura, Lochanch, Machuovu, Mangaling, Masino neuro, Muikhonchuk, Mula, Nchubua, Neuro, Nigrou, Niguro, Ningro, Niuro, Okang, Ota, Pagu, Pahu, Pakis beunyeur, Pakis sayur, Pakis wilis, Pako, Pakpako, Paku benar, Paku besar, Paku bunyur, Paku ikam, Paku jukut, Paku kerjaie, Paku luhur, Paku pukut, Paku tanjong, Paku tanjung, Paku-sayur, Palu, Pani neuro, Pani niguro, Pani nyuro, Pfochou chojii, Pfuchowbu, Phak kud, Phak kuut, Pucha, Pundukum, Pusa, Raramea, Rau don, Rau ron, Surulisoppu, Tagabas, Takang, Takuma liliafe, Takuma sisimia, Ta-wai, Tyrkhang, Wakal, Zadha

References (146)

• Agarwal, R. & Chandra, V., 2019, Diversity of wild edible plants in the Mandal-Chopta forest, Uttarakhand. Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies 2019; 7(1): 89-92
• Alegado, A. M. & De Guzman, R. B., 2014, Indigenous food crops of the Aetas tribe in the Philippines and their traditional methods of food preparation. in Promotion of Underutilized Indigenous Food Resources for Food Security and Nutrition in Asia and Pacific. FAO. Bangkok p 160 (As Athyrium esculentum)
• Ambasta S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 60 (As Athyrium esculentum)
• Amoroso, V., et al, 2017, Indigenous edible ferns in southern Philippines: Utilization and conservation. China_Botanical Congress. p 3
• 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

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