Origin

Jamaica

Folk medicinal uses

This species of maidenhair fern (and, perhaps. others) is used to make tea for colds. Beckwith recorded its use with a number of other plants for this purpose (see Anarcardium occidentale). Browne considered all Adiantum spp. to be light astringent vulneraries useful in pulmonary and cutaneous disorders. The tea is also thought to be "good for the heart". . Some African tribes smoke the leaf for head and chest colds. The plant has also been used as an emmenagogue.

Asprey, G.F; Phylis Thornton/ Medicinal plants of Jamaica. Parts III & IV. – p. 57.