Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum

(Desv.) Underw. ex Heller

Eastern bracken

Dennstaedtiaceae Edible: Fronds, Leaves, Vegetable Potential hazards — see below 139,066 iNaturalist observations

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Eric M Powell

gbif· cc-by-nc

Eric M Powell

gbif· cc-by-nc

janice22s

Summary

Source: Wikipedia

Pteridium aquilinum, commonly called bracken, brake, pasture brake, common bracken, and also known as eagle fern, is a species of fern occurring in temperate and subtropical regions in both hemispheres. Originally native to Eurasia and North America, the extreme lightness of its spores has led to it achieving a cosmopolitan distribution.

Description

A temperate fern of the Dennstaedtiaceae family found in Yunnan, Inner Mongolia, and Sichuan in China, highly valued and sold in local markets.

This description is brief — help expand it

Edible Uses

Immature fronds are eaten fresh, cooked in stir fries, or dried for later use. The starch in rhizomes is used to prepare cakes and noodles.

Traditional Uses

The immature fronds are eaten fresh or cooked in stir fries. They are also dried for later use. The starch in the rhizomes is used to prepare cakes and noodles.

Medicinal Uses

P. aquilinum has been investigated for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. In Finnish traditional medicine, bracken has been used as a remedy in many ways: Elias Lönnrot advised to use a powder made of the plant's roots to drive away maggots. A decoction made of bracken was used to treat stomach problems, gout and joint pain. The leaves have been used as filling in mattresses, because it was believed to lessen rheumatic pain and drive away vermin.

Known Hazards

The plant contains the carcinogenic compound ptaquiloside. Ptaquiloside is known to cause haemorrhagic diseases in ruminants, tumours and haematological problems in non-ruminants, and is correlated with oesophageal and gastric cancer in humans. Chronic bracken consumption is also associated with upper digestive tract (UDT) squamous cell carcinomas in cattle (ruminants)—with the most aggressive and serious tumors located in the caudal (lower) UDT. High stomach cancer rates are found in Japan and North Wales, where the young stems are used as a vegetable, but it is unknown whether bracken plays any part or if the cancer can be attributed to another cause. Consumption of ptaquiloside-contaminated milk is thought to contribute to human gastric cancer in the Andean states of Venezuela. The spores have also been implicated as carcinogens. Consumption of contaminated water and meat may be dangerous as well. However, ptaquiloside is water-soluble, and is reduced by soaking bracken in cool water. Korean and Japanese cooks have traditionally soaked the shoots in water and ash to detoxify the plant before eating. Ptaquiloside also degenerates at room temperature, which explains why the rat studies were done with the toxin stored at −20 °C (−4 °F). At boiling temperature, the carcinogen denatures almost completely. Salt and baking soda also help with volatilizing the chemical. It has been suggested that selenium supplementation can prevent as well as reverse the immunotoxic effects induced by ptaquiloside from Pteridium aquilinum.

Distribution

It is a temperate climate plant. It grows in Yunnan in China. It also grows in Inner Mongolia. In Sichuan.

Where It Grows

Asia, China, Korea, North America, Tibet, USA,

Other Information

It is highly valued. It is sold in local markets.

Synonyms

Several

Also Known As

Ade, Da bo, Da fei, Da gu guo ma, Da po xiu, Da wang, Gosari, Guo gun, Jiao lu, Yang jue, Ye qie, Zhila

References (20)

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Chen, W., et al, 2021, Wild plants used by the Lhoba people in Douyu Village, characterized by high mountains and valleys, in southeastern Tibet, China. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2021) 17:46
Geng, Y., et al, 2016, Traditional knowledge and its transmission of wild edibles used by the Naxi in Baidi Village, northwest Yunnan province. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 12:10
Hwang, H., et al, 2013, A Study on the Flora of 15 Islands in the Western Sea of Jeollanamdo Province, Korea. Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity Vol. 6, No. 2 281-310
Hwang, HS, et al, 2014, Distribution characteristics of plant in the Ungseokbong Mountain, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea. Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity. 7(2014) e164-e178

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