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Resam
(Malay)
Dicranopteris linearis  Resam is common in secondary forests, growing well on poor clay soils. It is among the few branching ferns and quickly develops into into thickets up to 2 m tall, shading out all other plants. Climbing on trees, they can reach 7 m. The wiry fronds mesh together and make it almost impossible to move through. |
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Uses: In New Guinea, the climbers are used to lash posts together when making houses. The leaves are used as personal decorations both daily and for special ceremonies; or the plant may be woven into decorative arm and waistbands.
Traditional medicinal uses: Crushed leaves are applied as a poultice to control fever (Malaysia); the plant is used to get rid of intestinal worms (Indochina); to treat boils, ulcers and wounds (New Guinea).
Role in the habitat: Being among the few plants that can grow on poor soils and scramble over steep slopes, Resam quickly takes over bare soil after a land slide, or soil affected by erosion and other wastelands. The quick growing fern helps to bind the soil and return nutrients to the soil. The slender, spreading rhizomes and the mat of old leaves protect the soil from further erosion, while the young leaves trap debris. As these decay, nutrients are returned to the soil. However, the fern often does this too well and few plants can grow where a Resam thicket dominates. But, the thick mat of dead leaves are highly flammable and the thicket can be quickly destroyed by fire during the dry season. New plants can then grow in the area, and as Resam cannot survive under shade, there is a chance for other plants to continue the succession.
LINKS
- Plants of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: brief fact sheet with lots of photos.
- Plants of Guam by Philip H. Moore and Patrick D. McMakin on the University of Guam website: brief fact sheet on Dicranopteris linearis with photo.
- Ferns as conservation agents by John A. Knouse: role of the fern in reclaiming wastelands.
- Ferns and Man in New Guinea by Jim Croft on the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research on the Australian National Herbarium website: traditional medicinal and other uses for the ferm.
- Australian National Herbarium The Fern Pages a guide to Pteridophytes: the ferns and their allies: for more about ferns, including how ferns reproduce with diagrams.
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- Ivan Polunin, "Plants and Flowers of Singapore", Times Editions, 1987 (p. 42: description, habitat, distribution, photo).
- Wee Yeow Chin, "A Guide to Medicinal Plants", Singapore Science Centre, 1992 (p. 24: description, chemical compounds, uses).
- Dr Wee Yeow Chin, "A Guide to the Ferns of Singapore", Singapore Science Centre, 1983 (p. 43-44: habit of forming impenetrable thickets).
- Dr E Soepadmo (ed.), "The Encyclopedia of Malaysia: Plants", Ferns and Fern Allies by Wee Yeow Chin, Editions Didier Millet, 1998 (p. 44: habit)