A living fossil, the fern is among the oldest plant groups still thriving on Earth. As far back as 400 million years ago, these plants covered land masses and developed unique ways to survive. Instead of producing flowers and seeds, ferns reproduce through the production of spores to maximize efficiency. Today, ferns are widely used as food, medicine, ornamental plants, and raw materials for handicrafts.
Highlighting its value as a natural resource, researchers from Central Mindanao University embarked on a scientific expedition across Mindanao to explore its rich diversity of indigenous ferns. The research project, “Spore Morphology, Ex-situ Conservation and Utilization of Mindanao Indigenous Pteridophytes” is an effort towards the conservation and development of Mindanao’s indigenous ferns and fern-like species, many of which are endemic, and several are already reported to be threatened.
From 2022 to 2024, researchers led by Dr. Fulgent Coritico of CMU explored 15 mountain ecosystems in Mindanao to collect plant materials. Under the research project, they were able to collect, catalog, and deposit 290 species of ferns to the Natural Science Research Center (NSRC) Spore Bank and Tissue Culture Laboratory at CMU.
Developing opportunities
To salad enthusiasts, pako is a popular Filipino ingredient. Paired with vinegar, red onions, salted egg, and a mix of condiments, pako salad is a perfect blend of earthy, crisp, and slightly nutty experience.
Indigenous ferns, however, offer much more. In Mindanao, they are valued not only as food products but also for their medicinal properties and as sources of raw materials. The study led by Dr. Coritico also aimed to add value to the existing traditions in Mindanao.
As a food product, Dr. Coritico and his team developed innovations to add value to ferns. This includes the Ferndesal, Fern Cookies, Fern Noodles, and Fern-based Mixture. These fern-based products are made from widely available Hagnaya and Apat-apat, which were then mixed with bananas and mushrooms. With the growing market for healthier options, these products were designed to offer nutritious, plant-based food alternatives.
To promote the economy, part of the project involved capacity-building activities from fern propagation to product development. Six training activities helped local communities, students, business owners, and societal groups.
Tiny Spores, Big Task
Fun fact: a single fern can release millions of microscopic spores so small that they can fit the tip of a pin. Acting as fern “seeds,” these tiny spores have the potential to grow as tall as an average adult.
To better understand the nature of Mindanao’s indigenous ferns and fern-like species, the project examined the structures of their spores. Using a Scanning Electron Microscope, which can zoom up to a million times larger than what the naked eye can see, the project team observed a total of 62 species of fern spores.
Scientists studied the tiny spores of ferns and fern-like plants to help classify and identify them. The shape, texture, and structure of spores provide important clues about how different fern species are related to one another. These microscopic details can confirm or even challenge how scientists group certain plants.
Most of the spore analyses done by the project were able to confirm previous studies on spore morphology and add additional insights into the field.
Conserving Mindanao’s Indigenous Ferns
When talking about threatened species, endangered animals are well-known concerns. However, plant species are also vulnerable to population decline and extinction. The research project can attest to this threat to the country’s biodiversity.
Based on the project's findings, 12 species of ferns across five mountain ecosystems in Mindanao are threatened. Of these species, three are critically endangered, four are endangered, four are vulnerable, and one is assessed as another threatened species. Also, nine of these species are endemic to the Philippines.
To protect the rich biodiversity in Mindanao, the project initiated propagation and conservation strategies. The project propagated them through wildlings and spore culture.
The propagation initiatives through wildlings saw a relative success. Out of 439 plant materials collected for propagation across Mindanao, 97.5% survived. Indicating that propagation through wildlings is effective as a conservation technique.
Moreover, four species of economically important ferns were mass propagated using modified spore culture media and techniques. Among them, Lygodium circinnatum and Sticherus loheri are valued by indigenous communities as raw materials for traditional handicrafts, while Osmunda banksiifolia and Cyclopeltis crenata are prized as ornamental plants. Other mass-propagated species under the project also include ferns such as Apat-apat (Marsilea crenata), Pakong-sungay (Ceratopteris thalictroides), and Hagnaya (Stenochlaena palustris).
Advocating institutional interventions, the project team has drafted a policy brief for the protection of the Mt. Pantaron Range, particularly in Sitio Natampod, Brgy. Namnam, San Fernando, Bukidnon.The site is home to 113 ferns and fern-like species, including several threatened species at risk of extinction. According to them, biodiversity loss, forest conversion to agricultural land, and overexploitation are constant threats to the fern flora in the province. They recommend empowering stakeholders and supporting sustainable resource management.
Moving forward, Dr. Coritico recommends further research on fern species in the country. He recommends the exploration of other forest ecosystems to increase the database at the NSRC Spore Bank.
He also continues to advocate the conservation efforts of threatened species. According to him, collaboration among DENR, Municipal, and Barangay officials is key in creating and enforcing policies. Likewise, they should provide support to communities in the mass propagation of economically important ferns for livelihood and household use.
This initiative was funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD). The project is also one of the entries to the National Symposium on Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (NSAARRD), under the Best Research Paper category. Winners of the award will be conferred during the 2025 S&T Recognition and Awarding Ceremony in celebration of the and 53rd Founding Anniversary Celebration of the DOST-PCAARRD.
NSAARRD, annually spearheaded by DOST-PCAARRD, recognizes outstanding R&D contributions in the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources sectors in the country.