Gallery
Lygodium japonicumLygodium japonicum
Lygodium japonicum
Lygodium japonicum plant
Lygodium japonicum leaves
Lygodium japonicum leaves
Lygodium japonicum leavesLygodium japonicumLygodium japonicumOverview
Lygodium japonicum is a species of fern that is known by the common names Japanese climbing fern and vine-like fern. It is native to eastern Asia, from Pakistan through India east to Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and south through southeastern Asia to New Guinea. The fern is present in the southeastern United States, Puerto Rico, South Africa, and Australia as an introduced species.
Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/15/2026
Life cycle
From seed to productSpore & prothallus
Ripe **spores** from the underside of fronds are collected and sown on a moist medium; rhizome division also works for faster increase.
Young sporophyte
Sexual organs form on the prothallus; after fertilisation a young sporophyte emerges.
Frond growth
Croziers unfurl into mature fronds; **climbing croziers unfurl and twine upward**.
Mature & spores
Spores mature and disperse on the wind; **spores ripen at the frond margins and are collected in autumn**.
Uses
- Clears heat and promotes urination.
- Used for urinary stones and painful urination.
- Removes toxins and reduces inflammation.
- Clears damp-heat of the bladder.
- Used to support jaundice.
Habitat & conservation
It is native to eastern Asia, from Pakistan through India east to Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and south through southeastern Asia to New Guinea.
Conservation
Lygodium japonicum has not been assessed by the IUCN Red List (NE). As a medicinal plant, it benefits from sustainable collection and propagation to protect wild genetic resources.
References
- 1Wikipedia – Lygodium japonicum — Wikipedia,
- 2Kew POWO – Lygodium japonicum — Plants of the World Online (Kew),
- 3Wikidata – Q3338251 — Wikidata,