Asplenium nidus - Meet the Plants - National Tropical Botanical Garden Plant Database

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Asplenium nidus - Bird's nest fern, axial view

P. Goltra

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Taxonomy:

Asplenium nidus (Aspleniaceae)

Synonyms:
Thamnopteris nidus

Common Name:

Birdnest Fern

Indigenous Names:
'ekaha,'akaha - Hawai`i
`oaha - Tahiti
Laugapapa - Samoa

Classification:

Asplenium nidus L.
Kingdom: Plantae-Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta-Vascular plants
Division: Pteridophyta-Ferns
Class: Filicopsida
Order: Polypodiales
Family: Aspleniaceae-Spleenwort family
Genus: Asplenium L.- Spleenworts
Species: Asplenium nidus L.- Birdnest Fern
(USDA National Plant Database. 2006)

Description:

Asplenium nidus is rosette shaped fern with all of the fronds growing from a central area. The fronds are undivided and sword-shaped.

They can be 60 to 120 cm long and 7 to 20 cm wide. They are light green with a dark brown or black midrib. The spores cases are arranged in lines along the veins of the fronds.
(Bornhorst, Heidi L. 1996. Growing Native Hawaiian Plants.)
(Valier, Kathy. 1995. Ferns of Hawai'i.)

Geographic Distribution:

Asplenium nidus is indigenous to Hawaii, other parts of Polynesia, and to areas as far west as Africa.

These ferns grow either terrestrially (on the ground) or epiphytically (on trees or rocks). In Hawaii, they are found at elevations up to 760 meters.
(Valier, Kathy. 1995. Ferns of Hawai'i.)

Medicinal Uses:**

In Hawai`i, the juice of `ekaha leaf shoots was mixed with other plants to treat general weakness and mouth sores in children.

(Akana, A. 1922. Hawaiian Herbs of Medicinal Value)

** The information provided above is not intended to be used as a guide for treatment of medical conditions using plants.

Native Legends and Names:

In old Hawai`i the leaves of `ekaha adorned hula altars and were used in canoe tree cutting ceremonies. The black midrib was used to decorate pandanus (lauhala) mats.

(Emerson, N. B. 1909. Unwritten Literature of Hawaii; the Sacred Songs of the Hula)
(Bornhorst, H. L. 1996. Growing Native Hawaiian Plants)

Indigenous Practices:

Asplenium nidus is a common fern found in wet lowand tropical forests of Africa, Asia and many Pacific

Islands. Its large leaves are used as decoration and for several medicinal treatments.

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