Thick-stemmed woodfern

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Thick-stemmed woodfern

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Aspidium filix-mas var. maackii
• Dryopteris buschiana
• Dryopteris crassirhizoma var. maackii
• Dryopteris crassirhizoma f. maackii

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Polypodiinae, it is categorized under the order Polypodiales and the family Polypodiaceae. Finally, it is classified under the genus Dryopteris as the species Dryopteris crassirhizoma.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is native to specific regions within the Russian Far East. Its presence is documented across the Amur territory, where it thrives in local ecosystems. Additionally, the species can be found throughout the Khabarovsk and Primorye regions. The distribution extends further to include the island of Sakhalin. Finally, this medicinal fern is also known to inhabit the Kuril Islands.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Dryopteris crassirhizoma is characterized by its preference for shaded, moisture-retentive environments, primarily occurring within forest and mountain ecosystems. It thrives in the understory of temperate woodlands, where the canopy provides the necessary filtered sunlight and protection from extreme desiccation. These mountainous forest habitats offer the cool, humid microclimates and well-drained, organic-rich soils essential for its rhizomatous growth and spore dispersal. By occupying these specific niches, the plant plays a role in the forest floor community, contributing to the stabilization of soil and the maintenance of moisture levels within the leaf litter layer.

Habitat :

forest, mountains

Life history

The life history of Dryopteris crassirhizoma is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons and establish a stable presence within its habitat. Architecturally, the species functions as a hemicryptophyte, a life form where the perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, typically protected by leaf litter or organic debris during dormant periods. This hemicryptophytic strategy, combined with its perennial nature, enables the plant to endure seasonal environmental shifts by relying on its robust rhizomatous structure to facilitate long-term survival and regrowth.

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Dryopteris crassirhizoma is characterized by a robust and thickened rhizome, as indicated by its specific epithet, which serves as the foundational structural element of the plant. This rhizome is typically creeping or erect, providing a sturdy base for the emergence of fronds. The plant exhibits a terrestrial growth habit, functioning as a terrestrial organism rather than an epiphyte, meaning it grows directly in the soil or organic litter of the forest floor. The fronds are typically large, bipinnate to tripinnate, and display a characteristic architectural arrangement that maximizes light interception in shaded environments. The stipe is often stout and may possess scales or hairs, contributing to its overall structural density. The sori, which contain the spores, are positioned on the underside of the pinnules, often protected by indusia, following the classic morphological patterns of the Dryopteridaceae family.

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Reproduction

The reproduction of Dryopteris crassirhizoma is characterized by its lifecycle as a fern, which does not produce flowers but instead utilizes spores for propagation. The reproductive cycle follows a specific seasonal pattern, with the period of spore production and dispersal occurring primarily during the late summer and early autumn. Specifically, the active phase begins around August and continues through September. During this timeframe, the plant develops specialized structures known as sori on the undersides of its fronds, which eventually release spores into the environment to facilitate the next generation.

Flowering time :

Aug

Flowering time :

Sep

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Dryopteris crassirhizoma has 2 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include rhizome, stem.

Rhizome

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

Stem

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

Chemicals

Dryopteris crassirhizoma has 19 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Dryocrassin ABBA, 3-Carene, 4-Amino-1-naphthol, CHLOROFORM, Dryocrassin.

Dryocrassin ABBA

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry

3-Carene

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

4-Amino-1-naphthol

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

CHLOROFORM

1. Parasitology research

Dryocrassin

1. Chinese medicine

ETHYL ACETATE

1. Parasitology research

FURFURAL

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Filixic acid ABA

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Flavonoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Ionene

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Dryopteris crassirhizoma has 4 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anticancer, Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Antiviral.

Anticancer

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Metabolites

Antibacterial

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antioxidant

1. Metabolites

Antiviral

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Medicinal Uses

Dryopteris crassirhizoma has 2 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include antioxidant, hemorrhages.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations