Pellaea calomelanos is a species of fern. It is found in eastern and southern Africa (Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe) where it is associated with Afromontane vegetation, as well as on Madagascar, The Comoros, and the Mascarene Islands. Disjunct populations are found in northern India, Spain (La Cellera de Ter and Sant Llorenç de la Muga, Catalonia), and the Azores.

Pellaea calomelanos
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Division: Polypodiophyta
Class: Polypodiopsida
Order: Polypodiales
Family: Pteridaceae
Genus: Pellaea
Species:
P. calomelanos
Binomial name
Pellaea calomelanos

The Kwena and Kgatla peoples use milk decoctions of the rhizome to calm frightened children at night.[1]

References

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  1. ^ Stafford, Gary I.; Pedersen, Mikael E.; van Staden, Johannes; Jäger, Anna K. (2008-10-28). "Review on plants with CNS-effects used in traditional South African medicine against mental diseases". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. Ethnobotany in South Africa. 119 (3): 513–537. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2008.08.010. PMID 18775771.

Further information

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  • "Pellaea calomelanos", Atlas y Libro Rojo de la Flora Vascular Amenazada de España [1]. Accessed 3 April 2011.
  • Verdcourt, Bernard. (2002) "Flora of Tropical East Africa [2]. Accessed 3 April 2011.
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