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Microsorum punctatum
Also called Elkhorn Fern, Fishtail Fern, Fishtail Strap Fern, Strapleaf Fern
A climbing fern, commonly called fishtail or climbing bird's nest fern, that grows either on trees or on moist soil. It is grown for its glossy, strap-shaped fronds and does best with humid conditions and bright, indirect light.
Microsorum punctatum is a fern from the subfamily Microsoroideae commonly called the fish-tail fern, climbing bird's nest fern, dwarf elkhorn fern, or wart fern. It has been used in traditional medicine.
M. punctatum is found in Africa and Asia. It is native to Andaman Islands, Angola, Assam, Bangladesh, Bismarck Archipelago, Borneo, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Provinces, Caroline Islands, Central African Republic, north-central China, south-central China, southeast China, Christmas Island, Comoros, Eastern Himalayas, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Gulf of Guinea islands, Hainan, India, Ivory Coast, Jawa, Kenya, KwaZulu-Natal, Laos, Lesser Sunda Islands, Liberia, Madagascar, Malaya, Maluku, Marianas, Marquesas, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Guinea, New South Wales, Nicobar Islands, Nigeria, Northern Provinces, Philippines, Queensland, Rwanda, Réunion, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Society Islands, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zambia, Zaïre, and Zimbabwe; it has been introduced in Colombia.
Juice extracted from the fronds (leaves) of the fern is used as purgative, diuretic, and wound healing agents in traditional medicine in Assam.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Microsorum punctatum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
