Stenochlaena
Stenochlaena is a genus of climbing ferns from the family Blechnaceae (FloraBase, 2014). It is compromised mainly of large climbing, or scadent ferns, that range from Asia and Oceania to North America, with two species, one from Africa and the other China, pending further investigation as to whether they belong in the genus. One species, Stenochlaena palaustris, or the Swamp Climbing Fern, is native to Australia. Ferns from Stenochlaena are typically found in tropical areas with water and high humidity (Chambers, 2013).
The Australian species, Stenochlaena palustris, has not been evaluated by the IUCN, along with 4 other species represented in Stenochlaena. One species of Stenochlaena, Stenochlaena hainanensis has been placed on the Red List as Endangered, but is only found in the Hainan province of China (Atlas of Living Australia, 2014).
IUCN status: Not Evaluated
Nil
The genus Stenochlaena is represented by ferns with long, climbing rhizomes, as well as fronds with significant differences between fertile and sterile fronds. Each of the individual fronds are narrow and oblong, with are divided equally into two parts, with saw-like serrated edges and an unequal base lacking in noticeable lobes. Black spots called sori are present on underside of the fertile fronds, all of which lack hard caps. Stem has a single larger vein central vein bundle with numerous smaller, peripheral vascular bundles (FloraBase, 2014; Chambers, 2013).
Stenochlaena are climbers, and are typically found on larger trees or other obstacles in order to access more advantageous post ions in regards to sun availability (Chambers, 2013).
The similarities between the different species species of Stenochlaena, along with their distributions suggests that they share some sort of evolutionary ancestry from a time when the continents were interconnected, though this is not verifiable due to the lack of complete DNA profiles of all the species of Stenochlaena (Chambers, 2013). There have also been viable hybrids between different species identified in Malaysia, which have served to further show the relative genetic closeness between the different species of Stenochleana (Chambers, 2013).
Kingdom - Plantae
Phylum - Charophyta
Class - Equisetopsida
Subclass - Polypodiidae
Order - Polypodiales
Family - Blechnaceae
Genus - Stenochlaena
(Atlas of Living Australia, 2014)
Species of Stenochlaena are found in tropical areas across Asia, Oceania and North America, and potentially the United States. the one species found in Australia, Stenochlaena palustris, is found in tropical swamps and wetland areas across the Northern coast of Australia, and in the Northern Kimberly region (FloraBase, 2014, Chambers, 2013).
Image courtesy of the Western Australian Herbarium (FloraBase, 2014)
Ferns from the genus Stenochlaena are typically found in tropical areas with high temperatures and humidity and that are near water, being especially common in tropical rainforests (Chambers, 2013). They are typically climbers, growing over larger trees and other obstacles due to their scadent nature (Chambers, 2013; FloraBase, 2014). Ferns from Stenochlaena are commonly found on the fringes of forests, mostly in areas with a high light index, and either moist soil or a nearby aquatic envrionent for their water need. However, permentant humid condiitons do not appear to be required in order for members of Stenochlaena to thrive (Chambers, 2013).
Different species of Stenochlaena is commonly used as both a source of food, and in traditional medical practices in several places where these ferns are distributed. In the case of the species found in Australia, Stenochlaena palustris, its high antioxidant content means that the fern became a part of the diet of the indigenous people around the areas where the fern grew (Chai et. al, 2012)
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