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Family • Aspleniaceae

Pakpak-lauin na babae
Asplenium macrophyllum Swartz.
LARGE-LEAVED SPLEENWORT

Scientific names Common names
Asplenium macrophyllum Swartz. Buntot-kapon (Tag.)
Asplenium capuronii Tardieu Culantrillo (Buk.)
Asplenium adiantioides C. Chr. Pako (Palawan, Tag., Mbo., Iban.)
Asplenium polydon Forst. Pakong-gubat (Tag.)
  Pakpak-lawin na babae (Tag.)
  Large-leaved spleenwort (Engl.)
Pakpak-lauin is a local name for three different herbal plant s, two of the genus Asplenium and one of genus Drynaria: Pakpak-lauin: Asplenium nidus; Pakpak-lauin na babae: Asplenium macrophyllum; and Pakpak lawin: Drynaria quercifloia.
Note: There are some dissimilarities in Quisumbing's 1978 publication of Medicinal Plants of the Philippines and the Plants of the Philippines 1964 publication by the University of the Philippines. The former refers to Asplenium nidus as pakpak-lauin and the latter as pasdak; both refer to it as Bird's nest fern. The Plants of the Philippines publication has a Pakpak lawin entree with the scientific designation of Drynaria quercifolia.


Botany
Pakpak-lawin na babe is an epiphytic fern, with the short rootstock covered with linear-lanceolate, acuminate scales. Stipes are tufted, rigid, erect, brown, 3 to 30 cm long.
Fronds are simply pinnate, oblong in outline, 7 to 40 cm long; pinnate opposite or alternate, 2 to 12 cm on each side, 2 to 15 cm long, 1 to 3 cm wide, lanceolate. Sori are in close, long, parallel, oblique lines reaching from the midrib nearly to the margin.

Distribution
Widely distributed in dry thickets in the Philippines.
Also in tropical Asia to Polynesia.

Properties
Diuretic.

Parts utilized
Leaves.

 Uses
Folkloric
• Decoction of the fronds is a diuretic. Also used for the treatment of dysuria and bladder complaints associated with beri-beri.
• In India, fronds used as diuretic for conditions with defective urination.

Availability
Wild-crafted.
Cultivated.

Last Update April 2011
IMAGE SOURCE: Asplenium Macrophyllum. / E. Lowe / 1855-1860 / 18-19th Century Prints / / The Old Print Shop

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Maternity and medicinal plants in Vanuatu II. Pharmacological screening of five selected species / G. Bourdya, C. Françoisb, C. Andaryc and M. Boucard / Journal of Ethnopharmacology • Volume 52, Issue 3, 5 July 1996, Pages 139-143.
(2)
A Review on the Potential Uses of Ferns / M Mannar Mannan, M Maridass and B Victor / Ethnobotanical Leaflets 12: 281-285. 2008.
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