Polypodiaceae FAMILY

Phlebodium aureum

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

3/5

Safety & Hazards

Although we have found no reports of toxicity for this species, a number of ferns contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. 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[ 172 Title Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest. Publication Author Schofield. J. J. Publisher Alaska Northwest Books; Alaska Year 2003 ISBN 0882403699 Description A nice guide to some useful plants in that area. ].

Botanical Description

Golden polypody is an epiphytic, or occasionally terrestrial, fern with fronds growing 30 - 120cm long from a creeping rhizome about 2cm thick[ 489 Title Ferns and Fern Allies of Guatemala Publication Author Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Field Museum of Natural History Year 1981 ISBN Description A flora of the ferns of Guatemala, giving some plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. The plant is sometimes collected from the wild for local medicinal use. It is sometimes cultivated in Honduras, and semi-cultivated in Mexico for medicinal purposes[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ]. The rhizomes are sold in local markets in Mexico, where it is known as 'Calaguala'[ 46 Title Dictionary of Economic Plants. Publication Author Uphof. J. C. Th. Publisher Weinheim Year 1959 ISBN - Description 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. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeS. America - Paraguay and Brazil, north through Central America to Mexico and through the Caribbean to Florida.

HabitatTerrestrial, especially among rocks, or epiphytic, at elevations of 900 - 2,600 metres in Peru[ 488 Title Pteridophyta of Peru Publication Author Tryon R.M.: Stolze R.G. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Field Museum of Natural History Year 1993 ISBN Description A flora of the fern species in Peru. It cam be downloaded from the Internet. ]. In open forests, on tree trunks, or occasionally in soil or on mossy rocks, at elevations of 1,200 - 2,200 metres in Guatemala[ 489 Title Ferns and Fern Allies of Guatemala Publication Author Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Field Museum of Natural History Year 1981 ISBN Description A flora of the ferns of Guatemala, giving some plant uses. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ].