Phlebodium aureum

Goldtüpfelfarn as a houseplant

The tropical Goldtüpfelfarn ( Phlebodium aureum ) is one of the Tüpfelfarngewächsen ( Polypodiaceae ), which is a family of Department of ferns.

In the approximately 550 known species of this family are mostly to tropical ferns.

The tropical Goldtüpfelfarn Phlebodium aureum is native to Florida, Mexico, Trinidad, Barbados, the Bahamas and other tropical islands. This plant is a poisonous plant, as is released during damage to the plant material from this hydrocyanic acid ( HCN). The cyanogenic glycoside Vicianin is included in Goldtüpfelfarn. By Vicianin - β - glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.119 ) of the sugar moiety ( vicianose ) is first cleaved hydrolytically, thereby Mandelonitrile is released. Under the action of a lyase ( EC 4.1.2.10 ) HCN is then released. There are many poisonous plants, their toxicity is due to this feature - they are grouped together as cyanogenic plants.

The Goldtüpfelfarn is also called plant invasion ( alien plant ) because it has been spreading in Hawaii since 1910.

From the tropical ferns in particular the Goldtüpfelfarn is cultivated as a houseplant in Europe, since it tolerates dry air well.