Diplazium esculentum
Vegetable fern
Diplazium esculentum, commonly known as the brake fern, is a versatile medicinal plant valued in traditional Asian medicine. Renowned for its edible fronds, it also possesses significant therapeutic properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects. This resilient fern plays a vital role in both culinary traditions and herbal pharmacology.
- Scientific name: Diplazium esculentum
- Family: Aspleniaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Polypodiinae and the order Polypodiales, it is classified under the family Aspleniaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Diplazium.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Polypodiinae | WCVP |
| Order | Polypodiales | WCVP |
| Family | Aspleniaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Diplazium | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Diplazium esculentum, is referred to by various common names across different cultures and languages. In Taiwan, it is known as Koeh-niau (nan), while in Indonesia, it is frequently called Paku sayur (id). In Vietnam, the plant is identified as rau dớn (vi), and in Nepal, it is called पानीनिहुरो (ne). Additionally, in Thailand, it is commonly known as ผักกูด (th).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| nan | Koeh-niau | Wikidata |
| id | Paku sayur | Wikidata |
| vi | rau dớn | Wikidata |
| ne | पानीनिहुरो | Wikidata |
| th | ผักกูด | Wikidata |
| zh | 食用双盖蕨 | Wikidata |
| ru | Диплазиум съедобный | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 過溝菜蕨 | Wikidata |
| ms | Paku tanjung | Wikidata |
| bcl | Pako | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution spanning several distinct regions across the globe. In the Atlantic, its presence is noted within the Macaronesian archipelago, specifically in the Azores. Its range extends to Southern Africa, where it can be found in the KwaZulu-Natal province. Within China, the species is widely distributed across the South-Central and Southeast regions. Additionally, the plant is documented as growing on the tropical island of Hainan.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Macaronesia | Azores | WCVP |
| Southern Africa | KwaZulu-Natal | WCVP |
| China | China South-Central | WCVP |
| China | Hainan | WCVP |
| China | China Southeast | WCVP |
| China | Tibet | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Japan | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Nansei-shoto | WCVP |
| Eastern Asia | Taiwan | WCVP |
| Indian Subcontinent | Assam | WCVP |
Chemicals
Diplazium esculentum has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include chloroform, ethanol, ethyl acetate.
- Total chemicals
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| chloroform | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethanol | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ethyl acetate | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Diplazium esculentum has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include chikungunya virus, diabetes mellitus, infertility.
- Total uses
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| chikungunya virus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diabetes mellitus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| infertility | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |