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Ethnobotanical
Leaflets 14: 161-72, 2010. Ethnomedicinal Use of
Pteridophyte from Kolli Hills, Namakkal District, Tamil G. Perumal Department
of Zoology, Email: gperumal_12@yahoo.co.in Issued: Ferbuary 01, 2010 Abstract The study enumerates the
Pteridophytes widely used by the local people and tribes in the treatment of
various diseases in Kolli hills of Namakkal district. They grow in
terrestrial, epiphytic and lithophytic habitat. The present study deals with
the ethnomedicinal uses of available Pteridophytes plants which are prevalent
in study area, along with botanical name, family, habitat, plant part used
and mode of uses.
Key words : Ethonomedicine, Pteridophytes, Kolli hills, Medicinal properties. Introduction Pteridophytes are
the seedless vascular cryptogams which occupy a position between the lower
non-seed bearing and higher seed bearing plants from generally much neglected
group of plants. About 250 millions years ago, they constituted the dominant
vegetation on earth surface. However, they are now replaced by seed bearing
plants in the modern day flora. Pteridophytes
grow luxuriantly in moist tropical and temperate forest and their occurrence
in different eco-geographically threatened regions from sea level to the
highest mountain are of much interest. About 12, 000 species of Pteridophytes occur in the world flora of which about more than 1,000
species into 70 families and 191 genera likely to occur in The ferns had an important role in
folklore medicine. These plants have been successfully used in the different
systems of medicines like Ayurvedic, Unani, Homeopathic and other systems of
medicines. Kirtikar et al. (1935)
have described 27 species of ferns having varied medicinal uses. Chopra et al. (1956) have included 44 species
and Nadkarni (1954) recorded 11 species of Pteridophytes having medicinal
importance. Nayar (1959) recorded 29 medicinal ferns. May (1978) published a
detailed review of the various uses of ferns and listed 105 medicinal ferns.
In a recent compilation, Singh (1999) reported 160 species of useful
Pteridophytes in A systematic survey of the
antibiotic activity of Pteridophytes, however has been scarcely undertaken.
The antimicrobial potential of some ferns has been studied (Kumar and
Kaushik, 1999; Parihar and Bohra, 2002a & b, 2003). With this background experiments were done
to assess the antibacterial activities of certain ferns. Out of 1,000
species of Pteridophytes occurring in India, 170 species have been found to
be used as food, flavor, dye, medicine, bio-fertilizers, oil, fiber and
bio-gas production (Manickam and Irudayaraj, 1992). The medicinal value of
Pteridophytes against bacteria, fungi, virus, cancer rheumatism, diabetes,
inflammation, consultant, fertility, diuretic, pesticides, heptoprotective,
and sedative had been reported. Besides sugar, starch, proteins and amino
acids, ferns contain a variety of alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids,
terpenoids, sterols, phenols sesquitorpens etc. as potential components used
in various industries (Kulandairaj and John de Britto, 2000). In comparison
to higher plants they have found little applications in medicine. The tribal
communities, ethic groups and folklore throughout the world are utilizing
their plant parts like rhizome, stem, fronds, pinnae and spore in various way
for the treatment of various ailments since ancient time. The number
of contributors about the taxonomy, ecology and distribution of Pteridophytes have been published from time to time but enough
attention has not been paid towards their useful aspects. An attempt has been
made to explore indigenous and ethnomedicinally important Pteridophytes and properly document their useful aspects. Young leaves of the ferns Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) Sw., Helminthostachys zeylanica (L.) Hook, Nephrolepis cordifolia (L.) Presl
and Stenochlaena palustris (Burm.)
Bedd. are cooked as vegetables by the tribals in Indian mountains. Azolla pinnata R.Br. is used as rice
fertilizer and chicken feed. In the case of water fern Marsilea drummondii the starchy paste of the sporocarps is made
in to cakes called “Nardoo” and is eaten by the natives of Only few
Ptridophytic plants are used as medicine eg. Paste of tubers of Nephrolepis auriculata (Linn.) Trimen
is used to lower down the brain fever and headache by applying locally. The
vegetable of the Croziers of different species of Diplazium Sw. is known to
be of laxative nature and often used to treat colitis and constipation. Selanginella bryopteris Linn. Bak is
considered as highly useful in unconciousness, the decoxinon aerial leafy
sporophyte is used to regain vigor. Similarly Heminthostachys Zeylanica (Linn) Hook. is used to revert the
impotency. The paste of Adtinatum
incisum Forssk. and A. venustum is
useful in the healing of wounds (Samant et
al., 1998; Kholia and Punetha, 2005). Quite a
number of ferns and ferns allies are of great medicinal value, among them
mention may be made of Equisetum
arvense Linn. This is used in nasal polyps and kidney infections, ashes
useful in acidity. E. debile Roxb,
is diuretic and given in gonorrhoea. Lycopodium
clavatum Linn., in the form of decoction used in rheumatism and diseases
of lungs and kidneys. The paste of the leaves of Ophioglossum reticulatum Linn., is used in headache. Botrychium virginianum Sw. is used in
dysentery. Helminthostachys zeylanica
(Linn.) Hook. is used for vitality and brain tonic. Lygodium flexuosum (Linn.) Sw., is an expectorent and used in
ulcers, cutwounds and sprains. The fronds of the gleicheniaceous fern Dicranopteris linearis (Burm.)
underwood are used for asthma and in woman’s sterility. The plants of the
‘royal fern’ Osmunda regalis Linn.
are stypic and tonic. The rhizomes of Angiopteris
evecta (Forst.) Hoffm. are used for scabies (Vasudev, 1999). About 150 ferns and fern allies have
been collected from the Eastern Ghats of Yercaud, Kolli Hills and Pachamalai
by Manickam and Irudayaraj (1992). At present a resurvey of the pteridophtic
flora is required to study the distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in the Kolli Hills, because vast forest areas are being
under disturbance mainly for the purpose of cultivation. In the present
study, an intensive survey was made over a period of 12 months from February
2004 to February 2005 with the medicinal usage of collected plants. To list
out the different ferns and fern allies from the Kolli hills. Study
Area Kolli Hills
of Materials and Methods In the present
study an intensive survey was made field survey in various places namely,
Solakkadu, Semedu area, Kuzhivalavu shola, Nachiyar kovil, Arapallieswarar
Kovil and Sengari shola in Kolli hills. During
the course of survey ferns and ferns allies were collected and the herbarium
was made. All the specimens were compared and identified with the standard
herbarium available in St. Xavier’s College, Palayamkottai- Tirunelveli. The voucher
specimens were kept and preserved in Kandaswami kandar’s College, Velur. Results and
Discussion This survey
observed nearly 10 species of Pteridophytes
from the area are enumerated with botanical name, family, popular name, parts
used and medicinal uses in Table-1 . BRACKEN FERN Family: Dennstaedtiaceae Genus: Pteridium Species: aquilinum (L.)
Kuhn, Rhizome long creeping, subterranean, densely covered by
about 5mm long, pale brown, multicellular. Stipes scattered, dark brown to
black and hairy at the base, pale brown to stramineous and glabrous above,
abaxially rounded, adaxially grooved. Lamina deltoid-ovate, acute, broadly
cuneate, tripinnatifid at the base, primary pinnae about eight pairs,
opposite or subopposite, ascending, largest primary pinna up to 60×30cm,
ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, secoundary pinnae up to 12 pairs per primary
pinna, alternate above, shortly stalked or subsessile, oblong-lanceolate,
acuminate, pinnules up to 20 pairs per secondary pinna, alternate sessile.
Sori fimbriate, reflexed margin above and thin small fimbriate membrane below
(Plate). GHORA TOP Family: Angiopteridaceae Genus: Angiopteris Species: evecta (Forst) Hoff. Rhizome erect, cylindrical and apex densely covered by
dark brown hairs. Stipular at the base, abaxially rounded, adaxially
flattened, bearing whitish linear streaks all over, glabrous. Lamina deltoid,
bipinnate, pinnae upto 16 pairs, sub opposite with about 3cm long stalk,
oblong- lanceolate, margin serrate in the distal part of the pinnae, costa
slightly raised and rounded above and below, veins distinct and slightly
raised above and below. Pinnae dark green, glabrous expect the occurrence of
few small, pale brown, soft, textures herbaceous. Sori sub marginal,
ellipsoid, sporangia upto six pairs in two rows, compact. Free spores
trilete, upto 20μm in diameter, pale green, exine sparsely
granulose(Plate). MORPANKHI Family: Actinopteridaceae Genus: Actiniopteris Species: radiata (Sw.)
Link, Rhizome suberect, subglobose, densely covered by scales;
scales lanceolate, pale brown at the periphery, apex acuminate, pointed,
margin entire. Stipes numerous, tufted. Lamina flabellate, semicircular or
wedege-shaped, upto 3.5×5.5cm, dichotomously divided up to six times, segments
rachiform, apex acute, margin entire; veins, obscure in mature frond, lamina
pale green, texture coriaceous, soft, pale brown. Sporongia borne in
intramarginal grooves throughout, protected by the reflexed margin of the
segment; Spores tritete, 50×50μm, verrucate on the proximal side
(Plate). MAYOR SHIKHA Family: Adiantaceae Genus: Adiantum Species: caudatum
L. Rhizome erect, densely covered by scales all over; scales
lanceolate, dark brown at the centre, gradually become pale brown towards the
margin, opaque, acuminate, entire. Stipes numerous, tufted, dark brown,
rounded below, grooved above, pale brown, multicellular, uniseriate, slender
hairs all over; fronds often proliferate; lamina oblong-lanceolate, long wiry
acuminate apex, simply pinnate; pinnae about 40 pairs, alternate, sessile.
Veins very slightly distinct above and below, dichotomously branched, pinnae
pale green; texture herbaceous; rachis also densely covered by long and short
hairs all over. Sori marginal reniform or orbicular, about 1mm in diameter;
indusia densely or sparsely pubescent above (Plate ). MAIDEN-HAIR FERN Family: Adiantaceae Genus: Adiantum Species: capillus-veneris
L., Rhizome long creeping, densely clothed by lanceolate,
acuminate, entire, stipes, slender, scaly at base, glossy above. Lamina
bipinnate, lanceolate, base cuneate; pinnae ascending, basal two to three
pairs bipinnate, up to 18 × 4 cm, upper ones pinnate, pinnules stalked,
parallelogram-like, flabellate, obovate, lower edge V-shaped, entire; veins
dichotomously branched, branches of the first dichotomy dark brown, the rest
greenish, indusium reniform or rectangular, transluscent spores trilete,
46μm in diameter, exine bearing compact leasurae (Plate ). THICKET FERN Family: Gleicheniaceae Genus: Dicranopteris Species: linearis
(Burm., f.) Underwood Rhizome up to 3mm thick, densely hairy. Stipes scattered,
about 60×0.25cm, grey brown, glabrous. Lamina about 40×60cm, primary branch
two or three pairs, about 15cm apart, forked one or two times; secondary
branches lobed or auricled; ultimate leafy branch about 20×4cm, oblanceolate,
acuminate, pinnatifid up to 1-2mm to the costa, leaf segments 2×0.3cm,
oblong, slightly narrowed towards notched apex, veins forked two or three
times; pinnae pale green or glaucous green, almost glabrous. Sori submedian
on the veinlets, consisting of about 12 sporangia per sorus; spores 35μm
in diameter, pale green, exine smooth (Plate ). ASHVAKATRI Family: Polypodiaceae Genus: Drynaria Species: quercifolia
(L.) j. Smith Rhizome short creeping, densely clothed by scales; scales
linear-lanceolate, uniformly pale brown to dark brown, apex long acuminate,
margin shallowly lobed, midrib and primary veins distinctly raised above and
below, secondary and tertiary veins slightly raised above and below. Veins
inter connected; stipes up to 22×0.7cm, grey-brown, abaxially rounded,
adaxially grooved, narrowly winged on either side, glabrous all over. Lamina
oblong, up to 77×50cm, pinnately lobed, terminated by a pinnule similar to
the lateral ones, base decurrent; lobes up to 15 pairs, basal pairs much
reduced; oblong-lanceolate, margin entire, pinnae pale green, glabrous,
texture coriaceous. Sori seated at the juncture of vein, more or less in two
rows along each primary veins, orbicular, exindusiate; spores reniform,
50×30μm, pale brown, exine finely spinulose (Plate ). WATER CLOVER Family: Marsileaceae Genus: Marsilea Species: minuta L. Rhizome long creeping, branched, subterranean, about 30cm
long, green in aquatic plant, pale or dark brown in terrestrials, covered by
about 5×0.25mm, whitish, soft, slender hairs sparsely or densely all over;
roots borne usually on nodes, rarely on internodes. Stipes scattered, about
1cm apart, usually green, rarely pale or dark brown, terete, glabrous or
whitish few hairs as in rhizome. Leaves four, sessile, arranged at the tip of
the stipe in clover leaf model, obovate or wedge shaped, base cuneate,
lateral margin entire, veins distinct above and below, flabellately branched,
leaves pale or dark green, glabrous with few hairs; texture thin, soft
herbaceous. Sporocarps borne at the nodes in clusters alternately, five per
cluster, peduncle 7×1mm; microsporongia and megasporongia enclosed in the
same sporocarp and covered by gelatinous layers; microspores yellowish-brown,
globose, 40μm in diameter with distinct exine and intine; megaspores
ovate, starch granules and numerous oval-shaped oil globules (Plate ). SAJIVANI Family: Selaginellaceae Genus: Selaginella Species: tenera (Hook
& Grev.) Stem erect, rooting at the base only, green to pink
colour when fresh, and stramineous to pink colour when dry. Leaves dimorphic
throughout, continuous on main stem and on axis of primary branches, lateral
leaves 3×1.5mm, oblong-ovate, obtuse or sub acute, denticulate on the acroscopic,
margin, lateral Sporophylls bear mega sporangia; others with micro sporangia,
microspores brick red mass, 20μm in diameter with thick wary lea sure;
megaspore 150μm (Plate). KAKOLISAG Family: Dryopteridaceae Genus: Dryopteris
Species: cochleata
(Buch.Ham.Ex D.Don) Rhizome short creeping, densely clothed by scales all
over, scales lanceolate, pale brown, thin, memberanaceous, translucent, apex
long acuminate, margin with tooth like or glandular hair like out growths or
with long lateral branches. Stipes up to 32×0.5cm, grey-brown whendry, scaly
below, fronds dismorphic; lamina lanceolate, bipinnate; sterile lamina about
40×19cm, fertile one much contracted, pinnae up to 10 pairs, ascending,
shortly stalked, subopposite, pinnae pale green; texture subcoriaceous, long,
soft, pale brown. Fertile pinnule up to 1.5×0.3cm, oblong, acute, apex acute;
spores dark brown, 50×40μm, with uniformly anastomosed and heavily
thickened perispore (Plate). Table 1:
Medicinally important ferns and fern allies in Kolli Hills.
DiscussionPteridophytes (Ferns and Fern allies) by virtue of their possessing
great variety and fascinating foliage have drawn the attention and admiration
of horticulturists and plant lovers for several centuries. They are
represented by about 305 genera comprising more than 10,000 species all over
the world. About 191 genera and more
than 1000 species are reported from
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