Pteridium esculentum
(Forster f.) Cockayne
Bracken, fern, Common bracken
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Summary
Source: WikipediaPteridium esculentum, commonly known as bracken fern, Austral bracken or simply bracken, is a species of the bracken genus native to a number of countries in the Southern Hemisphere. Although it is now known to contain the carcinogen ptaquiloside, the rhizome of the plant was a staple in traditional Māori diets in New Zealand and was eaten by Indigenous Australians.
Description
A fern. It grows 0.8-1.5 m tall. The frond is rigid and greatly divided. The leaflets are small and narrow. They are dark green and leathery. The edges of the leaves tends to turn under. There are long rhizomes (underground stems) covered with fine brown hairs. The spores are beneath the fronds. These are very small.
Edible Uses
The young unfurled fronds are eaten as a vegetable after being soaked in water for 24 hours and dried before cooking. The young underground rhizomes are ground into a paste and mixed with wheat or barley flour, or roasted, crushed, and baked.
Traditional Uses
The young unfurled fonds are eaten as a vegetable. They should be soaked in water for 24 hours and dried before being cooked and eaten. The young underground rhizomes are also eaten. It is ground to a paste and can be mixed with wheat or barley flour. The roots are roasted, crushed into a paste and then baked. CAUTION: Bracken has been linked with stomach cancer.
Known Hazards
Bracken has been linked with stomach cancer. The fern contains ptaquiloside, a chemical which causes cancer, and another chemical which slows down bone marrow formation.
Distribution
It is a temperate plant. It grows in undergrowth in wet dense forests above 400-500 m altitude in the tropics. It does best in moist places. In Northeastern India it grows between 1,600-3,200 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 8-11. Tasmania Herbarium.
Where It Grows
Asia, Australia, Britain, Canada, Cambodia, China, Europe, Fiji, India, Indochina, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Samoa, SE Asia, Tasmania, Vanuatu, Worldwide,
Notes
Caution: The fern contains ptaquiloside a chemical which causes cancer and a chemical which slows down formation of bone marrow.
Nutrition
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frond tip | 80.9 | 205 | 49 | 6.4 | — | — | 0.8 | 1.8 |
| Root | 72.6 | 199 | 48 | 0.8 | — | — | 6.3 | 2.6 |
Synonyms
Also Known As
Geewan, Gurgi, Makkitch, Mawkum, Mukine, Muulaa, Rahurahu, Ta, Thnang
References (46)
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