Giant Fern

There are lots of these ferns along the coast from Miri to Brunei....and they are more prevalent on the inland side or further away from the sea and around the kampong houses. I was told by some people that during the Japanese Occupation many people had little to eat and they even took the young shoots of this fern to cook and eat with their potatoes. Those who could make sugar from nipah they had sweeter food!!

Others who did not live quite near these plants and were too timid to try anything new they were rather malnourished. Nipah palm sugar is still a popular ingredient today for kampong cooking. I am glad that God has given us this food as well as nipah palm.

A little wild looking plant....

The fern leaf is about 2 -3  feet long and each frond is at least 10 inches in length.





The"  bottom " of the fronds are already full of spores...Too old to be eaten.


Lovely shape against the brilliant morning blue sky.


another angle of the ferns.


Looking for younger fronds....and newer shoots....


I did try to find some of the younger shoots to cook....but did not find anything really good though...So thus ended my food gatherer's outing...and my morning walk....Good day's photographing too.

cheers!!