Botany
Nito-nitoan is a fern with dark brown slender rhizomes and climbing, twining fronds, Primary petioles are very short, the secondary ones 1 to 2 centimeters long. Sterile pinnae are 7 to 20 centimeters long, with a terminal, simple or bifid pinnule and 4 to 6 lateral ones on each side. Pinnules are alternate and stalked, 2 to 3.5 centimeters long, oblong or subtriangular, simple, entire or sometimes slightly lobed, with the base variable, rounded, truncate, cordate, or bluntly hastate. Fertile pinnules are commonly shorter. Spikes are 2.5 to 7.5 millimeters long in close rows. Spores are reticulate.

Distribution
- Limited in distribution in the Philippines, seen in the Batanes Islands and some parts of Luzon.
- Also occurs in Tropical Africa, Asia, Australia and Polynesia.

Properties
Considered astringent.

Parts utilized
Entire plant.

Uses
Folkloric
- Decoction of the plant, especially of stems and fronds, used for dysentery and hemoptysis.
- Leaves also used for skin ailments.
- Poultices and lotions used for skin ailments, measles, and swelling.
- Lotions also used to cool in fevers.
- In Thailand decoction of roots used for fevers. Decoction of whole plant used for orchitis, cancer, joint and muscle pains.
- In India, used for wound healing, eczema, and treatment of jaundice. (6)
- In the HImalayan region of India, leaves used for skin diseases. (7)
Others
- Ethnoveterinary: Separately ground leaves of L. scandens mixed with leaves of C. roseus, C. asiatic, S. aspera, J gendarusa given to animals affected with dysentery. (5)

Studies
• No studies found.

Availability
Wild-crafted.