Polypodium vulgare

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Polypodium vulgare
Tupfelfarn (Polypodium vulgare).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Division: Polypodiophyta
Class: Polypodiopsida
Order: Polypodiales
Suborder: Polypodiineae
Family: Polypodiaceae
Genus: Polypodium
Species:
P. vulgare
Binomial name
Polypodium vulgare
L.
Frond with round dark sori on the underside Tupfelfarn mit uberjahrigen Sori.jpg
Frond with round dark sori on the underside
Sporangium showing the many thick-walled ('indurated') cells forming the backbone ('annulus') with 1 basal cell Polypodium vulgare s. str. sl48.jpg
Sporangium showing the many thick-walled ('indurated') cells forming the backbone ('annulus') with 1 basal cell
Frequently found on damp tree trunks Rhedyn a Mwsogl ar Goeden - Ferns and Moss on a Tree - geograph.org.uk - 684138.jpg
Frequently found on damp tree trunks
Colony Tupfelfarn.jpg
Colony
Sycamore covered entirely with the fern Sycamore and epiphytic ferns.JPG
Sycamore covered entirely with the fern

Polypodium vulgare, the common polypody, is an evergreen fern of the family Polypodiaceae. The name is derived from Greek poly- ("many") and pous, podos ("foot"). Polypody has traditional uses in cooking for its aroma and sweet taste, and in herbal medicine as a purgative and vermifuge. This species is expansive and highly adapted to many environments.

Contents

Description

Polypodium vulgare, the common polypody, is a fern developing isolated fronds along a horizontal rhizome. The fronds, with triangular leaflets, measure 10 to 50 centimetres (3.9 to 19.7 in). They are divided all the way back to the central stem in 10 to 18 pairs of segments or leaflets.

The leaflets become much shorter at the end of the frond. The leaflets are generally whole or slightly denticulated and somewhat wider at their base, where they often touch each other. They have an alternating arrangement, those on one side being slightly offset from those on the other side. The petioles have no scales.

The sori are found on the lower side of the fronds and range in colour from bright yellow to orange. They became dark grey at maturity.

Distribution and habitat

The common polypody occurs throughout western Europe and North Africa. [1] In Britain and Ireland, it is widespread in all areas except the drier parts of eastern England, and is most abundant in the high humidity of the uplands in the west and north; it occurs from sea level up to 760 m altitude. [2] It is very common in France, where it is found up to an altitude of 2,000 metres (6,600 ft).[ citation needed ] It is also quite common in Scandinavia and Carpathian Mountains. It is an introduced species in New Zealand that has begun to spread into the wild as an invasive species. [3]

Habitat

Polypodium vulgare is a hardy and highly adaptable species which commonly lives in the northern temperate zone. [4] This fern is found in shaded and semi-shaded locations. It is a lithophyte (grows on rocks), and is found growing in the moss on old walls, cliffs, cracks in rocks, and in rocky undergrowth; also as an epiphyte on mossy trees. Its evergreen leaves allow for the absorption of sunlight during seasons when light is scarce; this is an evolutionary advantage in deciduous forests.[ citation needed ]

This species can grow as an epiphyte regardless of the height or branching of the tree it occupies. Polypodium vulgare benefits the most from this relationship if it can grow in the crotch of a tree with forking branches, leading to greater water, sunlight, and mineral collection. This species can equally achieve maturity as an epiphyte or on the ground. [5]

Origins

Polypodium vulgare is an allotetraploid species, believed to have arisen by chromosome doubling of a sterile diploid hybrid between two ferns which are not known in Europe. The fern's proposed parents are the northern Asian and northern North American Polypodium sibiricum and western North American Polypodium glycyrrhiza . [6] Biochemical data point to a species from eastern Asia as the second possible parent. The genetics of this hybridisation caused Polypodiumvulgare only to form sporangia in the sori of the allotetraploid. This trait is dominant in the species Polypodium glycyrrhiza . [4]

The specific traits likely appeared during the ice age. This restriction of habitat and the unique hybridisation led to its formation. As the ice melted, Polypodium vulgare was left to inhabit areas that once contained glaciers. [4]

Identification

Polypodium vulgare is a complex and unique species, making its taxonomic classification and identification challenging. Subtle variations between different species of Polypodium muddle the process even further. [7] Polypodium vulgare inhabits Northern Europe and parts of Asia. There are only four clades included in this species that still exist. There was likely a significant divergence within the species Polypodium vulgare due to geographic isolation. [8] Recognition of its leathery-textured fronds, circular sori, and "lateral veins forked three to four times" [9] are vital to identifying this species. Out of the genus Polypodium , Polypodium vulgare has the most northern range. [9] The combination of these common traits allow for the identification of this species.[ citation needed ]

Uses

In cooking, the rhizome has a bittersweet taste. It has traditionally been used in some confectionery, such as nougat, for its aromatic properties. In 1971, a saponin, osladin was found in the roots and believed to be the compound responsible for the sweet taste as it elicits a relative sweetness 500 times sweeter than sugar (by weight). [10]

The dried rhizome is used in herbal medicine as a purgative and vermifuge; these properties are due to the phytoecdysteroids in the rhizome. [11] Its use as an herbal remedy has led this species to be recognised by the European Medicines Agency. The fronds contain compounds that aid in the healing of wounds and help to fight age-related diseases. These compounds include phenolic acids and flavonoids, which speed up the regeneration of cells. [12]

Research

P. vulgare plays the primary role in understanding of plant stomata responses to humidity. The Otto Lange group at the University of Würzburg first showed that stomatal opening and closing was performed in response to environmental humidity with Lange et al. 1971, [13] [14] and continued to use it to further illuminate stomatal-humidity responses in stomata-humidity-temperature dynamics in Lösch 1977 & 1979, [15] and metabolic energy supply to fuel stomatal articulation in Lösch & Tenhunen 1981. [16]

Note

Related Research Articles

<i>Platycerium</i> Genus of ferns

Platycerium is a genus of about 18 fern species in the polypod family, Polypodiaceae. Ferns in this genus are widely known as staghorn or elkhorn ferns due to their uniquely shaped fronds. This genus is epiphytic and is native to tropical and temperate areas of South America, Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Guinea.

<i>Pleopeltis polypodioides</i> Species of fern

Pleopeltis polypodioides, also known as the resurrection fern, is a species of creeping, coarse-textured fern native to the Americas and Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polypodiaceae</span> Family of ferns

Polypodiaceae is a family of ferns. In the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016, the family includes around 65 genera and an estimated 1,650 species and is placed in the order Polypodiales, suborder Polypodiineae. A broader circumscription has also been used, in which the family includes other families kept separate in PPG I. Nearly all species are epiphytes, but some are terrestrial.

<i>Phlebodium aureum</i> Species of fern

Phlebodium aureum is an epiphytic fern native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas.

<i>Aglaomorpha fortunei</i> Species of plant

Aglaomorpha fortunei, commonly known as gu-sui-bu, is a species of basket fern of the family Polypodiaceae. The plant is native to Eastern Asia, including eastern China.

<i>Phlebodium</i> Genus of ferns

Phlebodium is a small genus of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae, subfamily Polypodioideae, according to the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I). It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. Its species were formerly included in Polypodium.

<i>Polypodium calirhiza</i> Species of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae

Polypodium calirhiza is a species of fern in the polypody family. Its common names include nested polypody and habit polypody. It is found in California and Oregon in the U.S., and several states of Mexico: Colima, Jalisco, Mexico State, Oaxaca, and Veracruz. The leaflets on each leaf are broad and oval-shaped, coming to a dull point. This fern is sometimes epiphytic.

<i>Grammitis</i> Genus of plants

Grammitis is a genus of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae, subfamily Grammitidoideae, according to the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I). It had formerly been placed in the family Grammitidaceae, but this family is no longer recognized by most authors because phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences have shown that it is embedded in Polypodiaceae.

<i>Polypodium glycyrrhiza</i> Species of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae

Polypodium glycyrrhiza, commonly known as licorice fern, many-footed fern, and sweet root, is a summer deciduous fern native to northwestern North America, where it is found in shaded, damp locations.

<i>Zealandia pustulata</i> Species of fern

Zealandia pustulata is a species of fern native to eastern Australia and New Zealand. It is commonly referred to as 'kangaroo fern' or 'kangaroo paw fern' as its native range includes Australia and the shape of its mature foliage tends to resemble the shape of a kangaroo's foot. It is also referred to as 'hound's tongue', and as kōwaowao and pāraharaha in the Māori language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osladin</span> Chemical compound

Osladine is a high-intensity sweetener isolated from the rhizome of Polypodium vulgare. It is a saponin, sapogenin steroid glycoside, 500 times sweeter than sucrose.

<i>Polypodium virginianum</i> Species of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae

Polypodium virginianum, commonly known as rock polypody, rock cap fern, or common polypody, is a small evergreen species of fern native to the Eastern United States and Canada. It generally grows on rocks and occasionally on tree roots in nature.

<i>Polypodium appalachianum</i> Species of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae

Polypodium appalachianum is a fern species native to eastern North America. Sometimes called the Appalachian polypody or Appalachian rockcap fern, it is very similar in appearance to Polypodium virginianum. For years, P. virginianum—long considered a variety of the British Polypodium vulgare—was recognized as having cryptic races, with diploid, triploid, and tetraploid representatives. Since the triploid specimens bore abortive spores, it was apparently the hybrid between the diploid and tetraploid groups. In 1991, it was resolved that the type of P. virginianum was the tetraploid series, and that it is an allotetraploid species of hybrid origin, with the diploid species as one parent. The diploid species was then named P. appalachianum. The other parent of P. virginianum was found to be Polypodium sibiricum. The tetraploid of hybrid derivation tolerates warmer climates than either parent.

<i>Polypodium hesperium</i> Species of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae

Polypodium hesperium is a species of fern known by the common name western polypody. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California, and the Rocky Mountains to northern Mexico, where it grows in rocky habitat types.

<i>Polypodium scouleri</i> Species of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae

Polypodium scouleri is a species of fern known by the common names leathery polypody, Scouler's polypody, coast polypody and leather-leaf fern. It is native to coastal western North America from British Columbia to Guadalupe Island off Baja California. It is a plant of the coastline, growing in cracks on coastal bluffs, in oceanside forests, beach dunes, and similar habitat. It is often affected by heavy fogs and sea spray. This polypody anchors with a waxy, scaly rhizome. It produces triangular or oblong leaves up to 85 centimeters in maximum length and 8 cm width. Each leaf is made up of many round-tipped linear or oblong segments which are usually stiff and leathery in texture and edged with shallow, rounded teeth. The underside of each leaf segment is crowded with rounded sori each up to half a centimeter wide. The sori contain the spores.

<i>Lellingeria</i> Genus of ferns

Lellingeria is a genus of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae, subfamily Grammitidoideae, according to the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I).

<i>Aglaomorpha</i> (plant) Genus of ferns

Aglaomorpha is a genus of ferns in the subfamily Drynarioideae of the family Polypodiaceae. The Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 uses this genus name, while other sources use Drynaria to include Aglaomorpha. Species are commonly known as basket ferns. As circumscribed in PPG I, the genus contains around 50 species.

<i>Polypodium cambricum</i> Species of fern in the family Polypodiaceae

Polypodium cambricum, the southern polypody, limestone polypody, or Welsh polypody, is a species of fern in the family Polypodiaceae, native to southern and western Europe where it grows on shady rocks, near the coasts of the Mediterranean Basin and in the mountains of Atlantic Europe. It is a spreading, terrestrial, deciduous fern growing to 60 centimetres (24 in) tall, with pinnate fronds. The sori are yellow in winter.

<i>Polypodium</i> Genus of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae

Polypodium is a genus of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae, subfamily Polypodioideae, according to the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I). The genus is widely distributed throughout the world, with the highest species diversity in the tropics. The name is derived from Ancient Greek poly ("many") + podion, on account of the foot-like appearance of the rhizome and its branches. They are commonly called polypodies or rockcap ferns, but for many species unique vernacular names exist.

<i>Polypodium amorphum</i> Species of fern

Polypodium amorphum is a species of fern with the common name irregular polypody, which grows near the northwest coast of North America.

References

  1. ↑ "Map". linnaeus.nrm.se. Archived from the original on 2002-02-22.
  2. ↑ "Polypody Polypodium vulgare L." PlantAtlas. Retrieved 2024-12-07.
  3. ↑ "Appendix one: Invasive weeds". www.doc.govt.nz. Retrieved 2019-04-01.
  4. 1 2 3 Haufler, Christopher H.; Windham, Michael D.; Rabe, Eric W. (April 1995). "Reticulate Evolution in the Polypodium vulgare Complex". Systematic Botany. 20 (2): 89. doi:10.2307/2419442. JSTOR   2419442.
  5. ↑ Johnson, Duncan S. (October 1921). "Polypodium vulgare as an Epiphyte". Botanical Gazette. 72 (4): 237–244. doi:10.1086/332920. ISSN   0006-8071.
  6. ↑ Haufler, Christopher H.; Windham, Michael D.; Rabe, Eric W. (1995). "Reticulate Evolution in the Polypodium vulgare Complex". Systematic Botany. 20 (2): 89–109. doi:10.2307/2419442. JSTOR   2419442.
  7. ↑ "Erratum". Madroño. 57 (1): 75–75. January 2010. doi:10.3120/0024-9637-57.1.75. ISSN   0024-9637.
  8. ↑ Sigel, Erin M.; Windham, Michael D.; Haufler, Christopher H.; Pryer, Kathleen M. (2014-10-01). "Phylogeny, Divergence Time Estimates, and Phylogeography of the Diploid Species of the Polypodium vulgare Complex (Polypodiaceae)". Systematic Botany. 39 (4): 1042–1055. doi:10.1600/036364414X683921.
  9. 1 2 Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Botany. Oxford University Press (OUP).
  10. ↑ (in English) J Jizba, L Dolejs, V Herout & F Sorm, "The structure of osladin — The sweet principle of the rhizomes of Polypodium vulgare L.", in Tetrahedron Lett., vol. 18, 1971, p. 1329-1332. doi : 10.1016/S0040-4039(01)96701-2.
  11. ↑ Camps, F.; Claveria, E.; Coll, J.; Marco, M. P.; Messeguer, J.; Mela, E. (1990). "Ecdysteroid production in tissue cultures of Polypodium vulgare". Phytochemistry. 29 (12): 3819. Bibcode:1990PChem..29.3819C. doi:10.1016/0031-9422(90)85339-H.
  12. ↑ Farràs, Adrià; Mitjans, Montserrat; Maggi, Filippo; Caprioli, Giovanni; Vinardell, María Pilar; López, Víctor (2021-09-16). "Polypodium vulgare L. (Polypodiaceae) as a Source of Bioactive Compounds: Polyphenolic Profile, Cytotoxicity and Cytoprotective Properties in Different Cell Lines". Frontiers in Pharmacology. 12. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.727528 . ISSN   1663-9812. PMC   8482143 . PMID   34603041.
  13. ↑ Mooney, H. A. (1999). "On the Road to Global Ecology". Annual Review of Energy and the Environment . 24 (1). Annual Reviews: 1–31. doi: 10.1146/annurev.energy.24.1.1 . ISSN   1056-3466.
  14. ↑ Raschke, K (1975). "Stomatal Action". Annual Review of Plant Physiology . 26 (1). Annual Reviews: 309–340. doi:10.1146/annurev.pp.26.060175.001521. ISSN   0066-4294.
  15. ↑ Berry, J; Bjorkman, O (1980). "Photosynthetic Response and Adaptation to Temperature in Higher Plants". Annual Review of Plant Physiology . 31 (1). Annual Reviews: 491–543. doi:10.1146/annurev.pp.31.060180.002423. ISSN   0066-4294.
  16. ↑ Zeiger, E (1983). "The Biology of Stomatal Guard Cells". Annual Review of Plant Physiology . 34 (1). Annual Reviews: 441–474. doi:10.1146/annurev.pp.34.060183.002301. ISSN   0066-4294.

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