maidenhair-creeper

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• maidenhair-creeper

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Hydroglossum elegans
• Hydroglossum flexuosum
• Hydroglossum microstachyum
• Hydroglossum pinnatifidum
• Hydroglossum semipinnatum
• Lygodium elegans
• Lygodium maculatum
• Lygodium pinnatifidum
• Lygodium polymorphum
• Lygodium pubescens
• Lygodium rottlerianum
• Lygodium semibipinnatum
• Lygodium serrulatum
• Lygodium tenue
• Ramondia flexuosa
• Ugena polymorpha
• Ramondia scandens
• Hydroglossum scandens
• Lygodium scandens
• Odontopteris scandens
• Lygodium meyenianum
• Lygodium pilosum

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Polypodiinae and the order Schizaeales. Finally, it is a member of the family Schizaeaceae within the genus Lygodium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide distribution across several key regions in East and South Asia. In China, it can be found throughout the South-Central, Southeast, and Hainan areas. Its presence also extends to the Nansei-shotto islands within Eastern Asia. Additionally, the species is documented within the Indian Subcontinent, specifically in the Assam region. Together, these locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive across diverse Asian landscapes.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Lygodium flexuosum is characterized by its existence as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, it maintains its photosynthetic structures above the ground, specifically manifesting as a phanerophyte that utilizes climbing or sprawling habits to navigate its environment. The plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that its foliage remains functional and green throughout much of its life cycle rather than shedding all leaves seasonally.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Lygodium flexuosum is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb that functions as an obligatory climbing vine. This plant exhibits a variable height, ranging from a minimum of 0 meters to a maximum of 5 meters, with a mean height of approximately 10 meters in certain developmental contexts. As an independent organism, it does not function as a parasite, and its ecological habit is primarily terrestrial rather than aquatic or epiphytic. While categorized under the broader growth form of "other," its physical structure is defined by its climbing nature, utilizing its vine-like habit to ascend within its environment.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

vine

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

other

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

5 m

Plant height mean:

10 m

Plant height min:

0 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Lygodium flexuosum is characterized by its specialized growth patterns and metabolic adaptations suited for its role as a climbing fern. As a pteridophyte, its physiological processes are heavily reliant on moisture for reproductive cycles, particularly during the movement of motile sperm toward the archegonia. The plant exhibits complex vascular development to support its climbing habit, utilizing specialized climbing mechanisms to ascend through forest undergrowth. Regarding its nutrient acquisition and symbiotic relationships, Lygodium flexuosum does not function as a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the specialized root nodules or symbiotic associations with diazotrophic bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, meaning its nitrogen uptake is dependent on the existing nitrogen levels within the soil substrate.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Lygodium flexuosum has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Lygodinolide, Saponins, cumarin.

Flavonoids

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Lygodinolide

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Saponins

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

cumarin

1. Pharmacognosy reviews

Activities

Lygodium flexuosum has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antiproliferative.

Antiproliferative

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Medicinal Uses

Lygodium flexuosum has 5 reported medicinal uses identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include dysmenorrhea, eczema, hepatoma, jaundice, wound healing.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations