''Stenochlaena'' is a genus of

fern A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes exce ...

s of the plant family

Blechnaceae Blechnaceae is a family of ferns in the order Polypodiales, with a cosmopolitan distribution. Its status as a family and the number of genera included have both varied considerably. In the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 201 ...

. Six species were formally accepted in an April 2013 scientific review of the genus, first written some years earlier and submitted in 2009. One additional species ''S. hainanensis'' awaits confirmation of its difference from ''S. palustris'' by means of differences in fertile material and/or its formal publication. One additional likely species grows naturally in

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the ...

, Africa, recognised with the descriptive name ''Stenochlaena'' sp. 'Cameroon' but it awaits formal description. Some species of Stenochlaena are common as climbing ferns in South-East Asian rainforests. After the end-Cretaceous mass extinction caused by an asteroid impact, a species of Stenochlaena was essentially the only common plant across North America for several thousand years. ''

Stenochlaena palustris ''Stenochlaena palustris'' ( vi, choại, tl, dilimán or ''hagnaya'') is an edible medicinal fern species. In the folk medicines of India and Malaysia, the leaves of this fern are used as remedies for fever, skin diseases, ulcers, and stomach ...

'' is known as ''midin'' in

Sarawak Sarawak (; ) is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, ...

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Mal ...

and it is eaten as a popular vegetable similar to

fiddlehead fern Fiddleheads or fiddlehead greens are the furled fronds of a young fern, harvested for use as a vegetable. Left on the plant, each fiddlehead would unroll into a new frond ( circinate vernation). As fiddleheads are harvested early in the ...

s, which is usually flavoured with

shrimp paste Shrimp paste or prawn sauce is a fermented condiment commonly used in Southeast Asian and Southern Chinese cuisines. It is primarily made from finely crushed shrimp or krill mixed with salt, and then fermented for several weeks. They are ei ...

. In

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

and parts of

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...

, it is flavoured and eaten with garlic cloves. In

South Kalimantan South Kalimantan ( id, Kalimantan Selatan) is a province of Indonesia. It is the smallest province in Kalimantan, the Indonesian territory of Borneo. The provincial capital was Banjarmasin until 15 February 2022 when it was legally moved to B ...

it is called ''kalakai''.

Species

Southern India, Indochina, Malaysia, Papuasia, Northern Australia and Southwestern Pacific

*''

Stenochlaena areolaris ''Stenochlaena'' is a genus of ferns of the plant family Blechnaceae. Six species were formally accepted in an April 2013 scientific review of the genus, first written some years earlier and submitted in 2009. One additional species ''S. hainanen ...

'' *''

Stenochlaena cumingii ''Stenochlaena'' is a genus of ferns of the plant family Blechnaceae. Six species were formally accepted in an April 2013 scientific review of the genus, first written some years earlier and submitted in 2009. One additional species ''S. hainanen ...

'' *''

Stenochlaena hainanensis ''Stenochlaena hainanensis'' is a species of fern in the family Blechnaceae. It is endemic to China. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss ...

'' ? ⇒ ''S. palustris'' *''

Stenochlaena milnei ''Stenochlaena'' is a genus of ferns of the plant family Blechnaceae. Six species were formally accepted in an April 2013 scientific review of the genus, first written some years earlier and submitted in 2009. One additional species ''S. hainanen ...

'' *''

Africa and African Islands

*''

Stenochlaena mildbraedii ''Stenochlaena'' is a genus of ferns of the plant family Blechnaceae. Six species were formally accepted in an April 2013 scientific review of the genus, first written some years earlier and submitted in 2009. One additional species ''S. hainanen ...

'' *''Stenochlaena'' sp. 'Cameroon' *''

Stenochlaena tenuifolia ''Stenochlaena'' is a genus of ferns of the plant family Blechnaceae. Six species were formally accepted in an April 2013 scientific review of the genus, first written some years earlier and submitted in 2009. One additional species ''S. hainanen ...

References

Blechnaceae Fern genera Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Polypodiales-stub