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Lygodium microphyllum
Schizaeaceae FAMILY

Lygodium microphyllum

Lygodium microphyllum

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

Although we have found no reports of toxicity for this species, a number of ferns contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable[1]. 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[2].

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Fern
Growth—

The roots can be planted in a shady position, allowing the plant to climb up into the sun[1]. Prefers a neutral to slightly acid soil[1]. An aggressive invasive weed of moist habitats in Florida[3]. This rapidly spreading weed colonizes new areas without the need of habitat disturbance and frequently completely dominates native vegetation[3]. It climbs and blankets other vegetation, ultimately causing mortality to mature canopy and subcanopy trees. Sometimes it covers other vegetation so completely that it is not possible to see other plants beneath it. Near the ground surface, a thick mat of old and new fronds also forms, ultimately smothering and stifling native plants including herbs and tree seedlings that would ordinarily maintain the forest canopy if allowed to mature[3]. The plant forms dense mats of rachis plant material. These thick, spongy mats are slow to decompose, exclude native understory plants, and can act as a site for additional fern colonization. It is difficult for other plant species to grow through the dense mat made by this fern, thereby reducing plant diversity[3]. Large expanses of fern material also may alter drainage and water movement. The presence of the plant as a weed outside its native range is significantly correlated to hydrology, coinciding with a wet, but not permanently inundated environment. In addition, its coverage is greatest in a low-light under-story environment, where it has been shown to establish and eventually dominate[3].

Propagation

Spores. Division. Serpentine layering. An actively growing frond is pinned down onto the soil surface at each node, where it may root and shoot out as a new plant[1]. Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Lygodium+microphyllum>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  2. [2]Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest. — Schofield. J. J. · Alaska Northwest Books; Alaska · 2003 · ISBN 0882403699 ↩︎A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.
  3. [3]Global Invasive Species Database — http://www.issg.org/database/welcome/ ↩︎Very detailed information on almost 400 species (with more being added) of plants that have become weeds in areas outside their native range.
  4. [4]Fern Databank, Sahah. — http://www.forest.sabah.gov.my ↩︎Information on the ferns growing at Sabah in Indonesia. A description, habitat and plant uses are givem, often accompanied by a photo.
  5. [5]Flora Malesiana Series 1 — Various · Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch · http://www.archive.org ↩︎A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet
  6. [6]American Fern Journal Vol.60 — American Fern Society · 1970 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org ↩︎Contains an article on the medicinal uses of Indian ferns. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
  7. [7]Dictionary of Economic Plants. — Uphof. J. C. Th. · Weinheim · 1959 · ISBN - ↩︎An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
  8. [8]Ferns and Man in New Guinea — Croft. J. · 1982 · http://www.anbg.gov.au/fern/ferns-man-ng.html ↩︎Based on a paper presented to Papua New Guinea Botany Society in 1982, gives a brief guide to the uses of 42 species of fern in New Guinea. Published on the internet.
  9. [9]Minor Products of Philippine Forests — Brown. W. H. · Bureau of Forestry, Manilla. · 1920 ↩︎A useful guide to some of the plants of the area, though terse on details. The book is out of copyright and can be legally downloaded from the Internet.