Niphidium crassifolium explained

Niphidium crassifolium, commonly known as the graceful fern, is a species of fern in the family Polypodiaceae found in Central and South America. It is predominantly epiphytic, growing on other plants—for example, in the canopies of trees—but occasionally grows on rocks or on the ground, particularly at higher altitude. It has a rhizome from which many fine rootlets covered in dark reddish-brown scales grow.[1] Together they form a root basket that, when growing on trees, helps to trap leaf litter and dust, forming a nutrient-rich soil that holds water.[2] Its leaves are simple in shape, 13- long and 3cm-5cmcm (01inches-02inchescm) wide and when dry, and covered by a wax-like film. The sori are round and large, occurring in single rows between veins at the far end of the leaf.[1]

Taxonomy

N. crassifolium was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 as Polypodium crassifolium. In 1972, David B. Lellinger moved the species into the genus Niphidium. It can be difficult to distinguish from N. albopunctatissimum, but that species has narrower leaves and is mostly found growing on rocks or on the ground, as well as occupying a different range.[3]

Distribution

Niphidium crassifolium is found in Central and South America, from Mexico in the north to Peru in the south and including Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana and the West Indies.[1] It grows at altitudes up to 1100m (3,600feet) above sea level and over a wide range of humidity.[4] According to Thomas Croat, it is probably the most common fern found on Barro Colorado Island, Panama.[1] Niphidium crassifolium is known to grow on Socratea exorrhiza, occurring on 12% of individuals on Barro Colorado Island.[5] It is also known to grow on Platypodium elegans, Ceiba pentandra, Tabebuia guayacan and Anacardium excelsum.[6]

Biochemistry

This species uses crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), whereby it stores some carbon dioxide produced by respiration at night and releases this for use in photosynthesis the next day, but the overall contribution of this is small compared to that of true CAM plants such as cacti. Under drought stress, the contribution of CAM increases from 2.7% of total carbon fixation to 10%.[7] The production of gametophytes is determined by light levels rather than by a hormone.[8]

Uses

N. crassifolium can be cultivated, growing well in well-drained soil under medium light. It is reported to be able to survive consecutive days of freezing temperatures down to -7C.[3] In Northern Peru the fresh stem is used in traditional medicine to treat inflammation of internal organs.[9]

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Thomas B. Croat. Flora of Barro Colorado Island. 20 February 2011. 1978. Stanford University Press. 978-0-8047-0950-7. 102–.
  2. Book: Egbert Giles Leigh. Egbert Giles Leigh. Tropical forest ecology: a view from Barro Colorado Island. 20 February 2011. 1999. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-509602-6.
  3. Book: Barbara Joe Hoshizaki. Robbin Craig Moran. Fern grower's manual. 20 February 2011. 2001. Timber Press. 978-0-88192-495-4. 398–.
  4. Book: Jürgen Nieder. Epiphytes and canopy fauna of the Otonga rain forest (Ecuador). 20 February 2011. 31 August 2001. BoD – Books on Demand. 978-3-8311-1858-8. 99–.
  5. The epiphyte vegetation of the palm Socratea exorrhiza - correlations with tree size, tree age and bryophyte cover. 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20110827065056/http://si-pddr.si.edu/dspace/bitstream/10088/2257/1/Zotz_and_Vollrath.pdf. 2011-08-27. 10.1017/S0266467403003092. 19. Journal of Tropical Ecology. G.. Vollrath. B.. Zotz. 81–90. 56431960. 2015-08-29. live.
  6. 10.1111/j.1744-7429.1997.tb00427.x. Jose Luis Andrade and Park S. Nobel . 1997 . Microhabitats and Water Relations of Epiphytic Cacti and Ferns in a Lowland Neotropical Forest . Biotropica . 29 . 3 . 261–270 . 2389141 .
  7. Book: Klaus Mehltreter. Lawrence R. Walker. Joanne M. Sharpe. Fern Ecology. 20 February 2011. 2010. Cambridge University Press. 978-0-521-72820-1. 166–.
  8. Book: Valayamghat Raghavan. Developmental biology of fern gametophytes. 20 February 2011. 1989. Cambridge University Press. 978-0-521-33022-0. 217–.
  9. Antibacterial activity of medicinal plants of Northern Peru – can traditional applications provide leads for modern science? . Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge . 9 . 4 . October 2010 . 2011-02-20. Rainer W. Bussmann. Bussmann . Rainer W. . Glenn . Ashley . Sharon . Douglas .