Microlepia strigosa | |
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Microlepia strigosa var. strigosa | |
Scientific classification
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Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Division: | Polypodiophyta |
Class: | Polypodiopsida |
Order: | Polypodiales |
Family: | Dennstaedtiaceae |
Genus: | Microlepia |
Species: | M. strigosa
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Binomial name | |
Microlepia strigosa (Thunb.) C.Presl.
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Microlepia strigosa, known as hay-scented fern, lace fern, rigid lace fern and palapalai, is a fern indigenous to the Hawaiian islands and is also native to other parts of the tropics and subtropics including India and Malaysia. [1] This fern belongs to a group of about seventy Microlepia species in the bracken or hay-scented fern family ( Dennstaedtiaceae). There are two indigenous species and a hybrid found in the main Hawaiian Islands. It is also known by the botanical names: Davallia hirta, Davallia setosa, Davallia strigosa, Dicksonia kaulfussiana, Dicksonia strigosa, Microlepia hirta, Microlepia setosa, Stenoloma tenuifolium, Trichomanes strigosum. [2] It has coarse, light to medium green fronds which can grow to more than 3 ft (0.9 m) long.
Early Hawaiians used the fronds to decorate hula altars dedicated to Laka, goddess of hula. [3] The ferns were used as head lei (lei poʻo), neck lei (lei ʻāʻī), and wrist lei (lei kūpeʻe) and to provide a soft base against the skin. [4] The plants were believed to be a cure for insanity. [5] It was also used to bathe in and young leaf fronds were fed to babies. [6]
Microlepia strigosa | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Microlepia strigosa var. strigosa | |
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Division: | Polypodiophyta |
Class: | Polypodiopsida |
Order: | Polypodiales |
Family: | Dennstaedtiaceae |
Genus: | Microlepia |
Species: | M. strigosa
|
Binomial name | |
Microlepia strigosa (Thunb.) C.Presl.
|
Microlepia strigosa, known as hay-scented fern, lace fern, rigid lace fern and palapalai, is a fern indigenous to the Hawaiian islands and is also native to other parts of the tropics and subtropics including India and Malaysia. [1] This fern belongs to a group of about seventy Microlepia species in the bracken or hay-scented fern family ( Dennstaedtiaceae). There are two indigenous species and a hybrid found in the main Hawaiian Islands. It is also known by the botanical names: Davallia hirta, Davallia setosa, Davallia strigosa, Dicksonia kaulfussiana, Dicksonia strigosa, Microlepia hirta, Microlepia setosa, Stenoloma tenuifolium, Trichomanes strigosum. [2] It has coarse, light to medium green fronds which can grow to more than 3 ft (0.9 m) long.
Early Hawaiians used the fronds to decorate hula altars dedicated to Laka, goddess of hula. [3] The ferns were used as head lei (lei poʻo), neck lei (lei ʻāʻī), and wrist lei (lei kūpeʻe) and to provide a soft base against the skin. [4] The plants were believed to be a cure for insanity. [5] It was also used to bathe in and young leaf fronds were fed to babies. [6]