The many bird's nest ferns

The making of a bird's nest fern collection... proposed site

Asplenium nidus - removed from oil palm
temporarily nursed

 I would not have done justice to the oil palm ecology if I don't have a mega  bird's nest ferns collection at the park.  It is an ongoing project now to collect as many young bird's nest ferns from the oil palm trunks and re-group them in one location.  The oil palms produce ideal conditions for these epiphytic ferns and as such sourcing is of no real problem.  They grow here from spores that are blown by the wind.  It is at the sporophyte stage that we recognize the bird's nest fern by its tightly clustered leaves forming a funnel or 'nest'.  Among the Berawans of Sarawak, the slightly older leaves are heated for about 1-2 minute and applied to the area meant to cure cancer and tumour.  But for now we are focussed on making it an ornamental landscaping potential. 

Bird's nest fern growing in ideal conditions at Botanic Island One

Bird's nest fern (Asplenium nidus)
Location : Botanic Island One

Young bird's nest ferns on oil palm, attached to the cut bases of oil palm leaves