Skip to main content

Table 1 List of pteridophytes used as fodder and human food in sub-Saharan Africa

From: Not just minor wild edible forest products: consumption of pteridophytes in sub-Saharan Africa

Species, family name

Country, vernacular name

Main uses and references

Blotiella glabra (Bory) R.M.Tryon; Dennsteadtiaceae

DRC: Asaha, oheyi yasi, oheyi

Young leaves eaten raw or cooked as leafy vegetable [24]

Botrychium lanuginosum Wall. ex Hook et Grev.; Ophioglossaceae

Nigeria: Grape fern, iya, oziza ato

Young leaves eaten as green vegetable [15]

Ceratopteris cornuta (P. Beauv.) Lepr.; Pteridaceae

Liberia: Water lettuce

Cultivated and eaten as a leafy vegetable [14, 25]

Ceratopteris thalictroides (L.) Brongn.; Pteridaceae

Madagascar

Leaves eaten as salad or cooked as vegetable [26]

Swaziland

Leaves eaten as leafy vegetable [27]

Christella dentata (Forssk.) Brownsey & Jermy; Thelypteridaceae

DRC: Anole

Young leaves cooked as leafy vegetable [24]

Cyclosorus gongylodes (Schkuhr) Link; Thelypteridaceae

Gambia

Leaves eaten as leafy vegetable [28]

Cyathea manniana Hook.; Cyatheaceae

DRC: Oyaele

Young leaves cooked as leafy vegetable [24]

Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) Sw.; Athyraceae

Nigeria: Akwukwo nni, vegetable fern

Young leaves eaten as vegetable with yam (Dioscorea spp.) [15]

Diplazium proliferum (Lam.) Thouars; Athyriaceae

Madagascar

Young still enrolled fronds (croziers, fiddleheads) are eaten as a cooked vegetable [29]

Diplazium sammatii (Kuhn) C.Chr.; Athyraceae

DRC: Andole, aneke

Young leaves are cooked as leafy vegetable [24]

Nigeria: Nyama idim

Young still enrolled fronds (croziers, fiddleheads) are eaten as a cooked vegetable [30]

Dryopteris wallichiana (Spreng) Hyl.; Dryopteridaceae

Nigeria: Mountain wood fern, mbabe, ire, aja nmuo

Leaves are used as fodder for goats and sheep [15]

Lomariopsis sp.; Lomariopsidaceae

DRC: Asaha

Young leaves cooked as condiment [24]

Marsilea minuta L.; Marsileaceae

Gambia

Tender leaves eaten as a potherb [31]

Marsilea minuta L.; Marsileaceae

Senegal

Tender leaves eaten as a potherb [31]

Nephrolepis biserrata (Sw.) Schott; Davalliaceae

DRC: Asaha, likekele

Young leaves are cooked as condiment or leafy vegetable [24]

Nigeria

Leaves used as fodder for goats and other ruminants [21]

Nephrolepis cordifolia (L.) Presl.; Davalliaceae

Nigeria: Erect swordfern, nma ozo

Rhizomes are cleaned and boiled with salt and water and eaten as food [15]

Ophioglossum grande L.; Ophioglossaceae

Nigeria: Ribbon fern, achu, tsage

Young fronds used as fodder for goats [15]

Ophioglossum lusoafricanum Prantl; Ophioglossaceae

Swaziland: Adder's tongue, sankunshane, sankuntjane, shucelane

Edible leaves [27]

Ophioglossum ovatum Bory; Ophioglossaceae

Madagascar, Antandroy tribe

Leaves eaten as vegetable [32]

Ophioglossum polyphyllum A. Braun; Ophioglossaceae

Namibia

Used as famine food when few other plants are available but the species is not popular or well known [33]

South Africa: isiNkuntshane, isiNdletshane

Leaves eaten as leafy vegetable [6, 34]

Ophioglossum reticulatum L.; Ophioglossaceae

South Africa: Adder-tongue fern

Leaves eaten as vegetable [35]

Swaziland: Adder's tongue

Leaves eaten as leafy vegetable [27]

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Leaves eaten as salad or cooked as vegetable [36]

Ophioglossum vulgatum L.; Ophioglossaceae

Nigeria

Leaves eaten as leafy vegetable [15]

Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn; Dennsteadtiaceae

Angola

Several tribes eat the leaves [32]

Cameroon

Consumed on a regular basis together with Vernonia amygdalina Delile and Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq. [32]

DRC: lilele, isili

Immature fronds cooked as condiment or vegetable [24, 37]

Gabon

Young still enrolled fronds (croziers, fiddleheads) are eaten [32]

Madagascar

Rhizome is eaten [32]

Nigeria: Eastern bracken, turkey foot fern, ogoni, ukwunnume

Decoction of rhizome drunk as herbal health tea, young fronds eaten as vegetables [15]. Young still enrolled fronds (croziers, fiddleheads) are eaten as vegetable by the tribal people [38]

South Africa: Adelaarsvaring, brackern fern, eagle fern, umbewe, umhlashoshana

South Africa: Young fronds and rhizomes are cooked and eaten by the Zulu and Tswana [39]

Stenochlaena tenuifolia (Desv.) T.Moore; Blechnaceae

Madagascar

The young fronds (croziers, fiddleheads) are eaten as vegetable [40]