Silver fern (Pityrogramma calomelanos) is a plant species in Pteridaceae, shrub fern, short and erect rhizomes, dark brown woody stems, grows in rocky or sandy soil, stems have smooth rhizomes, spread and are covered by side scales.
P. calomelanos has small cylindrical stems and fibrous roots. Black petiole. Single leaf is green, simple, pinnate or compound, jagged, pointed end and pinnate. Ental double pinnate, alternating and covered with silver flour.
Sexual reproduction uses spores in male and female gametes, while asexuals go through division. Three varieties recorded are Pityrogramma calomelanos var. aureoflava, Pityrogramma calomelanos ssp. austroamericana and Pityrogramma calomelanos var. calomelanos.
This plant grow in open areas on rocky and sandy soils on slopes, often found on the banks of open or protected rivers, flourishing well on highlands up to 1200 meters. Generally live in tight or loose groups that cover an area.
Root decoction is drunk to treat dysentery. To cure malaria, the leaves are pounded and rubbed on the back. Also often cultivated as an ornamental plant in gardens and greenhouses. Communities have used this plant as a phytoremediation of soil polluted by arsenic and heavy metal contamination.
TAXON
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Polypodiopsida
Subclass: Polypodiidae
Order: Polypodiales
Suborder: Pteridineae
Family: Pteridaceae
Subfamily: Pteridoideae
Genus: Pityrogramma Link in Handbuch 3: 19 (1833)
Species: Pityrogramma calomelanos (L.) Link in J.C.Mössler, Handb. Gewächsk., ed. 3. 3: 20 (1833)
HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS
Acrostichum calomelanos L. in Sp. Pl.: 1072 (1753)
Ceropteris calomelanos (L.) Link in Fil. Spec.: 141 (1841)
Gymnogramma calomelanos (L.) Kaulf. in Enum. Filic.: 76 (1824)
Neurogramma calomelanos (L.) Diels in H.G.A.Engler & K.A.E.Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 1(4): 264 (1899)
HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS
Acrostichum album Vell. in Fl. Flumin. 11: t. 91 (1831)
Ceropteris calomelanos var. gracilis Hieron. in Hedwigia 48: 222 (1909)
Ceropteris distans (Link) Link (1841)
Ceropteris martensii Link (1841)
Ceropteris massonii Link (1841)
Ceropteris serrata Fée in Mém. Foug., 8. Ic. Esp. Nouv.: 81 (1857)
Gymnogramma bidentata C.Presl in Reliq. Haenk. 1: 18 (1825)
Gymnogramma calomelanos f. albo-farinosa Krug in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 24: 134 (1897)
Gymnogramma calomelanos var. denudata Harr. in J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 16: 37 (1877)
Gymnogramma calomelanos f. epruinata Kuhn in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 24: 134 (1897)
Gymnogramma calomelanos f. flavofarinosa Kuhn (1897)
Gymnogramma calomelanos var. martensii Jenman in Bull. Bot. Dept., Jamaica, n.s., 4: 206 (1897)
Gymnogramma calomelanos var. normalis Kuntze in Revis. Gen. Pl. 3(3): 378 (1898), not validly publ.
Gymnogramma calomelas Link in Hort. Berol. 2: 52 (1833)
Gymnogramma distans Link (1833)
Gymnogramma hybrida M.Martens in Bull. Acad. Roy. Sci. Bruxelles 4: 50 (1837)
Gymnogramma martensii Bory in Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. Paris, Sér. 3, Sci. Vie 5: 127 (1837)
Gymnogramma massonii Loudon in Linnaea 23: 255 (1850)
Gymnogramma serrata T.Moore in Index Fil.: 232 (1861)
Pityrogramma albicans Domin in Spisy Přír. Fak. Karlovy Univ. 88: 58 (1928)
Pityrogramma calomelanos var. distans Urb. in Symb. Antill. 9: 339 (1925)
Pityrogramma calomelanos var. integrifoliolata J.Murillo & M.T.Murillo in Revista Acad. Colomb. Ci. Exact. 23(Supl. Esp.): 92 (2000)
Pityrogramma chamaesorbus Domin (1928)
Pityrogramma consimilis Domin (1928)
Pityrogramma hybrida Domin (1928)
Pityrogramma insularis Domin (1928)
Pityrogramma intermedia Domin in Rozpr. České Akad. Vĕd, Tř. 2, Vĕdy Mat. Přír., reimpr. 38(4): 59 (1929)
Pityrogramma mira Domin (1928)
Pityrogramma tenerrima Domin in Věstn. Ceské Společn. Nauk, Tř. Mat.-Přír. 1941(15): 1 (1942)
PUBLICATIONS
Barthelat, F. (2019). La flore illustrée de Mayotte: 1-687. Biotope éditions.
Chang, C.-S., Kim, H. & Chang, K.S. (2021). Checklist of Far East Asian Vascular Flora 1: 1-626. EABCN, Seoul.
Chen, C.-W. & al. (2022). An annotated checklist of lycophytes and ferns of the Solomon islands. The Fern Gazette 21: 292-419.
Ebihara, A. (2016). The standard of ferns and lycophytes in Japan. Nihonsan shida shokubutsu hyojun zukan 1: 1-475. Gakken Plus, Tokyo.
Fraser-Jenkins, C.R. & al. (2017). An Annotated Checklist of Indian Pteridophytes 1: 1-562. Dehra Dun : BSMPS.
Gosline, G., Bidault, E., van der Burgt, X., Cahen, D., Challen, G., Condé, N., Couch, C., Couvreur, T.L.P., Dagallier, L.M.J., Darbyshire, I., Dawson, S., Doré, T.S., Goyder, D., Grall, A., Haba, P., Haba, P., Harris, D., Hind, D.J.N., Jongkind, & al. (2023). A Taxonomically-verified and Vouchered Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Republic of Guinea. Nature, scientific data 10, Article number: 327: [1]-[12].
Hsu, T.C., Chen, C.W., Knapp, R. & Hung, H.C. (2019). Ferns and Lycophytes I. The illustrated flora of Taiwan. Tai wan yuan sheng zhi wu quan tu jian 8(1): 1-448. Tai bei shi : Mao tou ying chu ban : Jia ting chuan mei cheng bang fen gong si fa xing.
Loc, P.K. & al. (2019). A checklist of pteridophytes collected on Cham Chu mountains and adjacent sites. Journal of Biology. Hanoi, Vietnam 41: 75-89.
Muer, T., Sauerbier, H. & Cabrara Calixto, F. (2020). Die Farn- und Blütenpflanzen Madeiras: 1-792. Verlag und Versandbuchhandlung Andreas Kleinsteuber.
Plunkett, G.M., Ranker, T.A., Sam, C. & Balick, M.J. (2022). Towards a checklist of the vascular flora of Vanuatu. Candollea 77: 105-118.
Roskov Y. & al. (eds.) (2018). World Ferns: Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life Naturalis, Leiden, the Netherlands.
Schäfer, H. (2021). Flora of the Azores a field guide: 1-445. Margraf Publishers GmbH.
Singh, S.K. & al. (2023). Pteridophytes of Meghalaya. A pictorial guide: 1-246. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh.
Velázquez Montes, E. (2018). Flora de Guerrero 82: 1-230. Facultade de Ciencias, UNAM.
Wei, H.J. & al. (2018). New records of pteridophytes in Xizang. Guihaia 38: 397-407.
VERNACULAR NAME
Burmese: Ngwayraung hpaann
Chinese (simplified): 粉叶蕨
Chinese (traditional): 粉葉蕨
Danish: Sølvbregne
English: Silver fern, Golden fern
Filipino: Pilak na pako, Pakong-gubat, Elecho de plata, Pakong-kalabao
Indonesian: Paku Perak
Japanese: ギンシダ
Java: Pakis perak
Malaysia: Paku hijau, Fen yèh ch'uèh
Minang: Pakis wulung
Russian: Питирограмма тонколистная
Slovak: Púdrovka kalomelová
Spanish: Helecho plateado
Sumatera: Pakis wulung
Sunda: Paku perak
Thai: เฟิร์นหลังเงิน
Vietnam: Cho chanh
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