Asplenium nidus


asplenium_nidus_epiphytic.jpg (47410 bytes) asplenium_nidus_sori02.jpg (29788 bytes)

Asplenium nidus sori 60x Snail sliding across Asplenium nidus sori at 10x

 Asplenium nidus sporangia on the tail of a snail 60x

Chuukese: Chöölek, Neek
English: Bird's Nest Fern
Hawaiian: 'ekaha, 'akaha
Kapingamarangi: rokohá
Kitti: Toahnlik
Kosraen: Muhlihklihk
Mwoakilese: Kardoap
Pohnpeian: Tehnlik
Yapese:?

Description: The linear arrangement of spore cases along the veins is very different from the solid mass of spore cases on fertile stag's tongue fern fronds. Fronds are 2 feet (61cm) to 4 feet (1.2m) tall. The leaf's are Acuminate at top and Acuminate at bottom.

Habitat: The nest shape cluster of undivided fronds of this fern grow porched in trees or on the ground. Bird's nest fern grows up to elvation of about 2,500 feet (760cm).

This is a seedless vascular plant, mehn wai's call it, "bird's nest". This plant was collected at the forest area West of the agriculture building, at the C.O.M (F.S.M) campus, Palikir. This kind of fern is used to decorate yams in which they are tied to the top. They are mainly used at funerals and other traditional gatherings. Hawaiian's used the black midrib of bird's nest fern in decorating woven mats in much the same way maiden hair fern stalks are used. The Hawaiian name for the young or small bird's nest fern are called 'ekahakaha. The species name means "nest."

Specimen collected and web page created by Bradley Phillip, October 1998.

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