Tropical Ecosystems: Structure, Function and Services
Propagation by rhizome in Cyrtomium caryotideum
Presl. - an endangered Fishtail Holly Fern
Anita Tomar 1 and R.K. Srivastava2
1
Centre for Social Forestry and Eco-rehabilitation, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh
2
T.N. Tea Corporation, Coonoor, Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu
E-mail : srivastavaraj3@yahoo.com
Abstract
Cyrtomium caryotideum Presl. is a medium sized fern with erect rhizomes, grows well
under medium light and in moist dry garden soil. Fishtail holly fern is the most used
common name for C. caryotideum on the premise that the three-pronged leaf ends look
like the tails of fishes. It is also called “Dwarf holly fern” because it is usually only one
foot tall. In the present study an attempt was made to evaluate the impact of different
hormones i.e. IBA and IAA for the root induction in C. caryotideum. For this, the growing
tip of rhizome was split into 2, 3 and 4 longitudinal parts. Each split contained 1/2 , 1/3,
or 1/4 of longitudinal section of mother rhizome and above ground part with growing
buds. The rhizomes of C. caryotideum when cut longituditinally into two pieces exhibited
highest (95.0%) survival respectively under controlled conditions, while three and four
pieces exhibited 85.0 and 55.0 percent survival respectively under controlled conditions.
Three piece cuttings showed better results under IBA and four piece cuttings under
IAA stimulations. It was also found that the youngest “top” parts of the rhizomes
bearing leafy buds gave the best results both in the percentage of sprouting and growth
of the sprouts. It is an easy and effective technique for multiplication and conservation
of C. caryotideum.
Introduction
Cyrtomium caryotideum (Wallich ex
Hooker & Greville) C. Presl., Popularly
known as “Dwarf holly fern” or Fishtail
holly fern” (Fig. 1). The name “Fish tail
holly fern” has derived from the feature
of the fern look like the tails of fishes. It is
also called dwarf holly fern because it is
usually only one foot tall.
This fern is native of Southeast Asia,
China, northern India and islands of
South Pacific .It a medium sized fern with
erect rhizomes, grows well under medium
light and in moist dry garden soil. Over a
period of time it can spread by rhizomes
to three feet or wider and need to be dug
up and divided every few years.
In the wild C. caryotideum grows in the
soil or on rocks and not as epiphyte (Plate
1A). C. caryotideum can usually be
distinguished by erect, scaly rhizomes
(Plate 1B); one-pinnate, evergreen fronds;
netted veins and round sori (Plate 1C)
covered by an umbrella-shaped indusium.
The lateral pinnae tend to be nearly equal
196
Anita Tomar and R.K. Srivastava
in size and the terminal pinnae usually
resembles the lateral ones, except that the
base may be lobed. The rhizome of C.
caryotideum is used as an anthelmintic,
chiefly for the expulsion of tapeworm.
Very less is known about the
propagation of ferns. In the present study
we analyzed methods by propagating
rhizomes of C. caryotideum, so that most
appropriate procedure or hormone is
selected for its propagation.
Materials and methods
C. caryotideum plant along with the
ball of earth carefully removed and soil
loosened, so as to expose the rhizome. The
entire plant along with rhizome, was
washed in a bucket of water. Rhizome of
C. caryotideum, about 5-8 cm in diameter
were divided into 2, 3 and 4 equal
longitudinal pieces with hands. Each split
contained 1/2 , 1/3, or 1/4 of longitudinal
section of mother rhizome and above
ground part with growing buds. These
cuttings were dipped in different hormone
solutions for 12 hours at room
temperature. The hormonal treatments
included Indole -3 butyric acid (IBA) (100
ppm, 200 ppm, and 300 ppm), Indole -3
acetic acid (IAA) (100 ppm, 200 ppm, and
300 ppm) and control prepared for
comparison.
The plants were collected during the
month of march, 2009 from Chakrata
Forest Division at an altitude 2,100m .The
division is situated between the latitude 30o
26’ N and 31o 2’ N and longitude 77o 38’
E and 78o 4’E, at an elevation ranging from
1800 m to 2750 m above mean sea level.
Twenty five plantlets per replication were
planted at equal distance of 15 cm in
nursery beds under natural conditions.
The experiment was laid in a randomized
block design with four replicates for each
treatment. Survival per cent at the end of
three months was calculated as (number
of plantlets survived/total number of
plantlets planted) x 100
Table 1 . Propagation of Cyrtomium caryotideum through rhizome
Treatments
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
T7
Control
IBA 100 ppm
IBA 200 ppm
IBA 300 ppm
IAA 100 ppm
IAA 200 ppm
IAA 300 ppm
Survival (%)
2 piece
a,a
95.0 ± 0.58
55.0f,a ± 0.58
75.0c,a ± 0.58
50.0g,b ± 0.82
77.5b,a ± 0.50
70.0d,a ± 0.82
62.5e,b ± 1.50
3 piece
a,b
85.0 ± 0.58
47.5f,b ± 0.96
67.5d,b ±0.50
75.0c,a ± 0.58
77.5b,a ± 0.50
47.5f,b ± 0.50
55.0e,c ± 0.58
4 piece
55.0d,c ± 1.29
45.0f,c ± 1.29
50.0e,c ± 1.41
50.0e,b ± 1.63
57.5c,b ± 0.96
70.0b,a ± 1.15
72.5a,a ± 0.96
The values refer to mean and S.D. (n = 25 x 4). Mean followed by the different superscripted letter
are significantly different at p < 0.01 (Fisher’s LSD). First letter represents variation among treatments
(T1 - T7) and second between rhizome cuttings (2, 3 and 4 pieces). Values followed by ± are standard
deviation
Propagation by rhizome in Cyrtomium caryotideum .......
Results
The rhizomes of C. caryotideum when
cut longituditinally into two pieces
exhibited highest (95.0%) survival under
controlled conditions, while three and four
pieces exhibited 85.0 and 55.0 percent
survival respectively under control
conditions (Table 1). Three piece cuttings
showed better results under IBA and four
piece cuttings under IAA stimulations.
Analysis of variance of sur vival
percentage of rhizome cutting was
statistically significant at p < 0.01.
Discussion
The present study revealed that
terminal/rhizomatus portion of root
system of C. caryotideum can be replicated
for production of plants as rhizome
splitting in 2 pieces without any
phytohormones appears to be better mode
of multiplying C. caryotideum (Plate 1D, E
& F).
Chopra et al. (1958) observed that the
plants at higher altitudes of Himalayas are
generally propagated by rhizomes and
seeds. Ferns without branching rhizomes
or buds generally cannot be vegetatively
propagated and must be grown from spore.
In ferns the plant parts that reproduce new
plants are the rhizome, root, and frond.
Fer ns can be propagated with
creeping rhizomes by dividing the
rhizome. Division is best carried out when
the plants are in active growth during the
warm months of the year.
Each division must have at least one
adult leaf. Tomar and Srivastava (2007)
also reported that the youngest top portion
of the rhizomes bearing leafy buds gave
the best survival in case of C. caryotideum,
197
but also observed that the rhizome without
fronds gave poor results. They also
reported that two to three rhizome bulge
with leaves gives better result in C.
caryotideum. Similarly Badhwar and
Sharma (2007) found that larger the
rhizome or clump taken, the better the
chances of a successful division in
Podophyllum hexandrum.
Thus, it can be convincingly stated
that the propagation of C. caryotideum can
be successfully done by splitting a rhizome
into two pieces. Due to the beautiful and
peculiar appearance of the fern it can be
multiplied for botanical as well as
ornamental purposes and can be a good
choice for containers, rock gardens, or to
cover rocky patches. Moreover its
medicinal value needs much more study
to find out the potential for its commercial
exploitation. Considering the medicinal
value of this species, in-situ as well as exsitu conservation is needed at this juncture.
References
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note on the germination of Podophyllum
hexandrum Seeds, 407-409. In : Medicinal
and Aromatic Plants, Negi, S. S., Srivastava,
R. K. and Bisht, N.S. (eds.).
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(Enumeration,
Synonyms
and
Distribution). International Book
Distributors, Dehradun India, 459 pp.
Chopra, R. N., Chopra, I. C., Handa, K. C.
and Kapur, L. D. 1958. Chopra’s
Indigenous Drugs of India. U.N. Dhur and
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Grower’s Manual (Revised and Expanded
Edition) Timber Press, Portland, Oregon,
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Anita Tomar and R.K. Srivastava
Khullar, S. P. 1994. An Illustrated Fern Flora of
West Himalaya, Vol I. International Book
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Tomar, A. and Srivastava, R. K. 2007.
Vegetative propagation of less known
fern-Cyrtomium caryotideum- a new
approach. Indian For., 133 (2): 261-262.
Fig. 1. Cyrtomium caryotideum- habit
Plate 1
A. Natural habitat of
C. caryotideum
B. Matured rhizome of
C. caryotideum
C. Spores of
C. caryotideum
D. New emergence from
splitted rhizome
E. Young frond of
C. caryotideum
F. Mature fronds of
C. caryotideum
Anita Tomar