This is a green treasure common to the Western Ghats of India and east Africa and Madagascar. It has found many a taker in the Indian gardens because of its attractive foliage. A rather unique feature of this tree is the small wings on either side of the leaf spines, where the leaflets are borne. It is not really a fern, with the leaves only bearing a superficial resemblance to ferns. Hence, even its scientific name means ‘deceptive fern’ in Latin.
The Fern tree is also a powerhouse of phytochemicals, especially saponins, and many may have potential medicinal effects. Some researchers have suggested that F. decipiens shows the presence phytotoxic substances and the plant may be grown as a potential source of natural herbicides*.
The tree has separate male and female flowers. Tiny and clustered along leaf axils, the unisexual flowers are probably wind-pollinated. The fruit, though, are liked by birds, who disperse the seeds far and wide.