Golden leather fern

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Golden Leather Fern
• Leather Fern

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Acrostichum aureum var. hirsutum
• Acrostichum aureum var. marginatum
• Acrostichum cayennense
• Acrostichum crassifolium
• Acrostichum emarginatum
• Acrostichum fasciculatum
• Acrostichum formosum
• Acrostichum guineense
• Acrostichum inaequale
• Acrostichum juglandifolium
• Acrostichum obliquum
• Acrostichum rigens
• Acrostichum spectabile
• Acrostichum wightianum
• Chrysodium aureum
• Chrysodium cayennense
• Chrysodium fasciculatum
• Chrysodium hirsutum
• Chrysodium inaequale
• Chrysodium scalpturatum
• Chrysodium speciosum
• Polystichum dissimulans
• Polystichum emarginatum
• Acrostichum aureum f. cristata
• Chrysodium vulgare var. rigens
• Aspidium emarginatum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Polypodiinae. It is further classified under the order Polypodiales and the family Pteridaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is established within the genus Acrostichum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution pattern across the West Tropical Africa region. Its presence is documented in several coastal and inland nations within this tropical belt. Specifically, it can be found growing in the territories of Gambia and Ghana. The species is also distributed throughout Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. Finally, its geographical range extends into the Ivory Coast.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Acrostichum aureum is characterized by its specialized adaptation to coastal and wetland environments, where it frequently flourishes within halophytic vegetation. This plant occupies a broad altitudinal spectrum, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1000 m AMSL. Its ability to thrive in saline-influenced habitats allows it to play a significant role in the structural composition of mangrove margins and brackish marshes, maintaining its presence across varying elevations as long as the hydrological conditions support its growth.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

halophytic vegetation

Life history

The life history of Acrostichum aureum is characterized by its status as a perennial species, ensuring its long-term presence within its ecological niche. As a plant adapted to specific environmental conditions, its life form is classified as both a geophyte and a cryptophyte, indicating that its regenerative organs are protected at or below the soil surface to survive unfavorable periods. Furthermore, it maintains an evergreen deciduousness, retaining its foliage throughout much of its life cycle rather than shedding it seasonally.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Acrostichum aureum is characterized by a growth form categorized as both a herb and a forb, exhibiting a non-woody structure. As a self-supporting plant, it does not function as a liana or vine, nor does it act as an epiphyte or a parasite, remaining an independent organism. Its habitat is primarily terrestrial, though it can exist in semi-aquatic environments. In terms of stature, the plant displays significant variability in height, with dimensions ranging from a minimum of 0.5 m to a maximum of 5 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 2.15 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

5 m

Plant height mean:

2.15 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Acrostichum aureum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, utilizing the standard Calvin cycle for carbon fixation, which is typical for most ferns inhabiting moist, tropical environments. The plant does not exhibit any form of succulence, maintaining standard leaf tissue structure rather than specialized water-storing parenchyma. Additionally, Acrostichum aureum is not a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria and must rely on the uptake of available nitrogen from its surrounding substrate to support its metabolic processes.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

Reproduction in Acrostichum aureum is characterized by a specialized dispersal mechanism primarily driven by wind. The plant exhibits an anemochorous dispersal syndrome, utilizing lightweight spores that are released into the air currents to facilitate colonization of new habitats. This anemochorous strategy is the dominant mode of movement for its reproductive units, ensuring that the spores can travel significant distances from the parent plant. While the plant's primary method of spreading relies on these wind-driven processes, its overall dispersal profile is categorized under the anemochorous trait, distinguishing it from other syndromes such as zoochorous, autochorous, hydrochorous, or unspecialized modes.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Acrostichum aureum has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Chemicals

Acrostichum aureum has 9 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CHLOROGENIC ACID, Flavonoids, Patriscabratine, RUTIN, Saponins.

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Flavonoids

1. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology

Patriscabratine

1. Pharmaceutical biology

RUTIN

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Saponins

1. Journal of microbiology and biotechnology

TETRACOSANE

1. Pharmaceutical biology

ferulic acid

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

kaempferol

1. Pharmaceutical biology

p-coumaric acid

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Activities

Acrostichum aureum has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial.

Antibacterial

1. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry

Medicinal Uses

Acrostichum aureum has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Diabetes mellitus, breast cancer, peptic ulcer.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations