Edible: Rhizome, Root, Young fronds, Leaves
A large fern which grows attached to other plants. It climbs on trees. It can be 1 m high. It forms large spreading clumps. The rootstock is thick and fleshy. There are two kinds of fronds. One forms the "nest" and these do not have a stem and the others which are more like leaves and have a stem. The second ones have stems which are 30 cm long. The frond is one m long by 40 cm wide. It has deep lobes. The first kind of fronds have lobes and teeth around the edge. These turn brown with age but do not fall off the fern. The young fronds of this fern are different shape from the mature fronds on established ferns.
It is a tropical plant. It grows in lowland rainforest. It does best in warm humid conditions. It can tolerate cool temperatures. It can grow on rocks and trees in open forests in the tropics. In Hainan in China it grows from sea level to 1,000 m above sea level.
Common Names: Rock fern, Oak fern, Oak leaf fern, Ashvakatri, Basingh, Garur, Gurar, Jurntuma, Kabkab, Kadikapana, Kammaru, Koi hin, Kupana thinga kop, Mudavaatukkal, Pakis kepala tupai, Pakpak lawin, Pannakilhan-numanavala, Waluminikima
Synonyms:
Drynaria quercifolia (L.) J. Smith;
Polypodium quercifolia L.;