Mangrove fern, Wikakas fern
Acrostichum speciosum

Family: Pteridaceae

What it is like

A coarse clumpy fern. It grows 1.5 m tall and has a creeping underground stem (rhizome) forming clumps. The stem is 5 cm across and 10 cm high. It is covered with brown scales. The leaves are erect fronds. The leaflets are on either side of the leaf stalk. The stalk of the frond is 50 cm long and 0.3-0.8 cm thick. The fronds are 1.5 m long. The leaflets are 20 cm long by 3.5 cm wide. They are somewhat thick and leathery. They are dull dark green. They taper to a narrow tip. The stalks for these leaflets are 1 cm long. The spores are produced on the upper fertile fronds. These are smaller than the sterile fronds. The spores cover the entire under surface as a dark brown mass. In Australia fertile fronds are produced in June.

There are 3 Acrostichum species. Also put in the family family Adiantaceae.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in coastal flats and tidal areas. It is associated with mangroves. It can stand being flooded frequently by saltwater. This is the only fern found growing with mangroves. It occurs in Australia and Asia. It is very frost tender.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, China, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, SE Asia, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The root is used for food. The starch is extracted and eaten. Also the young curled shoots can be cooked and eaten.

It is used as food in Australia, but it is not known if it is used for food in Papua New Guinea.

Edible parts

Root, rhizome - starch, fronds, leaves

How it is grown

Plants are very difficult to transplant. Plants can be grown from young spores.

Its other names

Local names

Pakis wikakas

Synonyms

Acrostichum aureum var. speciosum (Willd.) Domin.; Acrostichum fraxinifolium R. Br.;