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Diplazium esculentum

(Retz.) Sw. (1803)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Pteridophyta Class/Clade: Polypodiopsida Order: Polypodiales Family: Athyriaceae Genus: Diplazium

edible fern, hō‘i‘o [hoio], paca, pohole, vegetable fern, warabi

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form:

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves:

Sori:

Gametophyte:

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Synonyms (40)

Anisogonium esculentum (Retz.) C.Presl (1836)
Anisogonium serampurense C.Presl (1836)
Anisogonium serrulatum C.Presl (1836)
Asplenium ambiguum Sw. (1801)
Asplenium bipinnatum Roxb. (1844)
Asplenium esculentum (Retz.) C.Presl (1825)
Asplenium malabaricum (Spreng.) Mett. (1856)
Asplenium manilense Spreng. (1827)
Asplenium moritzii Mett. (1856)
Asplenium proliferum Wall. (1829)
Asplenium puberulum Wall. (1830)
Asplenium serrulatum C.Presl (1825)
Asplenium umbrosum Mett. (1856)
Asplenium vitiense Baker (1867)
Athyrium ambiguum (Sw.) Milde (1870)
Athyrium esculentum (Retz.) Copel. (1908)
Athyrium serrulatum Milde (1870)
Callipteris ambigua (Sw.) T.Moore (1857)
Callipteris esculenta (Retz.) J.Sm. (1851)
Callipteris esculenta var. pubescens (Link) Ching (1984)
Callipteris malabarica (Spreng.) J.Sm. (1841)
Callipteris serampurensis Fée (1852)
Callipteris serrulata Fée (1852)
Callipteris wallichii J.Sm. (1841)
Digrammaria ambigua (Sw.) Hook. (1840)
Digrammaria esculenta (Retz.) Fée (1852)
Diplazium esculentum var. pubescens (Link) Tardieu & C.Chr. (1940)
Diplazium malabaricum Spreng. (1827)
Diplazium manilense (Spreng.) C.Chr. (1905)
Diplazium pubescens Link (1833)
Diplazium serampurense Spreng. (1821)
Diplazium umbrosum Moritz (1845)
Diplazium vitiense (Baker) Carruth. (1873)
Gymnogramma edulis Ces. (1876)
Hemionitis esculenta Retz. (1791)
Hemionitis incisa Blanco (1837)
Microstegia ambigua (Sw.) C.Presl (1851)
Microstegia esculenta (Retz.) C.Presl (1851)
Microstegia pubescens (Link) C.Presl (1851)
Microstegia serrulata C.Presl (1851)

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Lana'i Not in flora
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents

Water/Ocean
Wind

Vegetative Reproduction

Bibliography

Name Published In: J. Bot. (Schrader) 1801(2) 312 (1803)

Other References

Palmer 2003:125 (K, O, L, M, H); Staples & Herbst 2005:29 (DESCR); Oppenheimer 2007:21 (Mo); Faccenda, Arthur, et al. 2025:163 (remove L [no evidence of nat.])

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Diplazium esculentum Kailua Preserved_Specimen Staples, G.W. 815 Oahu BISH 1992-04-01
2 Diplazium esculentum Hilo, H.Kai's garden Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 28069 Hawaii BISH 1930-05-16
3 Diplazium esculentum Puhi Camp, W of Kauai Community College yard of abandoned homesite Preserved_Specimen trunk of 10 in. Flynn, T.W. 1656 Kauai BISH 1986-04-04
4 Diplazium esculentum N slope of Kapoho Crater pasture Preserved_Specimen dense stand. Fibrous, erect rhizome Stemmermann, R.L. 6882 Hawaii BISH 1984-02-04
5 Diplazium esculentum Waipio Valley taro patch Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 21793 Hawaii BISH 1952-02-07
6 Diplazium esculentum Puna pasture near house Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 28070 Hawaii BISH 1930-05-02
7 Diplazium esculentum Honolulu, Foster Gardens Preserved_Specimen Potter, C. Oahu BISH 1960-06-08
8 Diplazium esculentum Bishop Museum courtyard Preserved_Specimen Wilson, K.A. 1753 Oahu BISH 1989-07-19
9 Diplazium esculentum Puna, 13 Miles. Abandoned garden. Preserved_Specimen Edible. Degener, O. 35029 Hawaii BISH 1967-05-01
10 Diplazium esculentum E Kahanu Gardens, 5 mi W of Hana shade in thick Aleurites-Pandanus woods on aa lava Preserved_Specimen fronds ascending, rhizome erect Fosberg, F.R. 55437 Maui BISH 1974-04-13
11 Diplazium esculentum Hamakua District, Waipio Valley, ca. 2 miles into the valley Common roadside fern in swampy habitats, along with Cyperus involucratus, Paspalum conjugatum, Alocasia cucullata. Incorrectly called hoio (a native relative of this fern). Preserved_Specimen Imada, C. 9938 Hawaii BISH 1999-06-19
12 Diplazium esculentum Puhi Camp, W of Kauai Community College yard of abandoned homesite Preserved_Specimen trunk of 10 in. Flynn, T.W. 1656 Kauai BISH 1986-04-04
13 Diplazium esculentum Waipio Village guava thicket Preserved_Specimen trunk 1 m x 6 cm St.John, H. 24013 Hawaii BISH 1950-01-01
14 Diplazium esculentum E Kahanu Gardens, 5 mi W of Hana shade in thick Aleurites-Pandanus woods on aa lava Preserved_Specimen fronds to 1-1.4 m tall, rhizome erect Fosberg, F.R. 55436 Maui BISH 1974-04-13
15 Diplazium esculentum Kailua wet gully Preserved_Specimen frond 4 ft long, stipe 5-6 ft., grooved above. Terminal portino of frond. Hobdy, R.W. 409 Maui BISH 1978-11-14
16 Diplazium esculentum Kahanu Gardens, 5 mi. W of Hana in shade in thick Aleurites-Pandanus woods on aa; large colony Preserved_Specimen fronds to 1-1.4 m tall, rhizome erect. Fosberg, F.R. 55436 Maui BISH 1974-04-13
17 Diplazium esculentum Papaikou wet, open pasture by stream Preserved_Specimen stems erect to ~3' tall with 2 diam. Fronds ~5' long, glossy above Herbst, D.R. 5152 Hawaii BISH 1975-01-15
18 Diplazium esculentum Kaala along road at summit in a gully Most plants growing in small gully on weedy roadside, but plants starting to spread into native forest. Naturalized, many size classes. Metrosideros polymorpha, Rubus argutus dominant. Preserved_Specimen Upright fern with black rhizomes. 1- 1.5 meters for tallest plants, ,10 cm. for immatures. Beachy, J. 218 Oahu BISH 2011-08-17
19 Diplazium esculentum Morgan Toledo Taro Farm, Waipio Valley, Big Island, Hawaii Growing at back of property along road, and in wet depression. Preserved_Specimen Large upright fern, dark green, clumping forming dense stands. Ca. 1 m tall. Crago, L.M. 2005097 Hawaii BISH 2005-03-19
20 Diplazium esculentum Puhi Camp, W of Kauai Community College yard of abandoned homesite Preserved_Specimen trunk of 10 in. Flynn, T.W. 1656 Kauai BISH 1986-04-04
21 Diplazium esculentum Waipio Valley taro patch Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 21793 Hawaii BISH 1952-02-07
22 Diplazium esculentum N slope of Kapoho Crater pasture Preserved_Specimen dense stand. Fibrous, erect rhizome Stemmermann, R.L. 6882 Hawaii BISH 1984-02-04
23 Diplazium esculentum Puhi Camp, W of Kauai Community College yard of abandoned homesite Preserved_Specimen trunk of 10 in. Flynn, T.W. 1656 Kauai BISH 1986-04-04
24 Diplazium esculentum UH Manoa Campus, Loi Kalo garden below Dole St Preserved_Specimen fern ~3' tall Obata, J.K. Oahu BISH 1992-08-11
25 Diplazium esculentum Wailau Valley, along Kahawaiiki Stream Preserved_Specimen Large clump along Kahawaiiki Stream. Oppenheimer, H.L. 80503 Molokai BISH 2005-08-12
26 Diplazium esculentum Waipio Valley taro patch Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 21793 Hawaii BISH 1952-02-07
27 Diplazium esculentum Morgan Toledo Taro Farm, Waipio Valley, Big Island, Hawaii Growing at back of property along road, and in wet depression. Preserved_Specimen Large upright fern, dark green, clumping forming dense stands. Ca. 1 m tall. Crago, L.M. 2005097 Hawaii BISH 2005-03-19
28 Diplazium esculentum Kaala at summit. In ditch next to snail enclosure. Growing in dense shade in muddy, saturated area. Growing with Christella parasitica, Athyrium microphyllum, Sadleria pallida, Dicranopteris linearis, Rubus, Chiloscyphus greenwelliae, Dryopteris rubiginosa, and others. Preserved_Specimen Erect rhizomes, scales at base broadly deltate. Stipe and rachise grooved, fronds pinnate with a pinnatifid terminal section. Fronds glossy. Thomas, M.K. 433 Oahu BISH 2022-08-09
29 Diplazium esculentum Kailua wet gully Preserved_Specimen fern 9-10' tall Hobdy, R.W. 409 Maui BISH 1978-11-14
30 Diplazium esculentum Ranae Ganske Property, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii Growing at edge of road and auwai, where water spills over. Mixed in with Ipomoea alba, Hedychium coronarium, Syzygium cumini, Coix lachryma-jobi. Very wet. Preserved_Specimen Fern, 1-3 feet tall. Crago, L.M. 2005190 Maui BISH 2005-08-11
31 Diplazium esculentum Ranae Ganske Property, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii Growing at edge of road and auwai, where water spills over. Mixed in with Ipomoea alba, Hedychium coronarium, Syzygium cumini, Coix lachryma-jobi. Very wet. Preserved_Specimen Fern, 1-3 feet tall. Crago, L.M. 2005190 Maui BISH 2005-08-11
32 Diplazium esculentum Wailau Valley, along Kahawaiiki Stream Preserved_Specimen Large clump along Kahawaiiki Stream. Oppenheimer, H.L. 80503 Molokai BISH 2005-08-12
33 Diplazium esculentum UH Manoa Campus, Loi Kalo garden below Dole St Preserved_Specimen fern ~3' tall Obata, J.K. Oahu BISH 1992-08-11
34 Diplazium esculentum UH Manoa Campus, Loi Kalo garden below Dole St Preserved_Specimen fern ~3' tall Obata, J.K. Oahu BISH 1992-08-11
35 Diplazium esculentum Wailau Valley, along Kahawaiiki Stream Preserved_Specimen Large clump along Kahawaiiki Stream. Oppenheimer, H.L. 80503 Molokai BISH 2005-08-12
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