Today, we would like to write about the “Hego” that can be seen on the AMICUS campus.

The forests of Amami Oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture and the main island of Okinawa in the Yaeyama Islands in Okinawa Prefecture are the most common places to find this species, making it the largest pteridophyte in Japan. It is also referred to as ‘Hikagehego’ in Okinawa.

The sprouts and the core of the tall trunk can be eaten. The sprouts are edible when they have grown to about 80 cm in length. They are boiled and then eaten as “Tempura” （deep-fried）, “Sanbaizu”（three Vinegar Cups）, or vinegared after boiling. When they are cut, they become slippery.

Because they contain complex polysaccharides (water-soluble dietary fiber) such as making and pectin, which are the same components as okra.

When the core is cooked, it becomes like a radish in texture and soft and fluffy texture.

The Cyatheaceae is a new species among ferns that was discovered approximately 100 million years ago, and has been called a survivor from the dinosaur age.

While hiking in the mountains, I often glance at these plants, but it’s surprising to me that they have a history dating back to the dinosaur age.