Lady Fern
Parts Usually Used
Roots and tops
Description of Plant(s) and Culture
A perennial plant; the creeping rootstock, brown and irregular in shape, shows its history in tow rows of leaf scars. The leaves, or fronds 6-12 inches high, are green, glabrous, and pinnatifid almost to the midrib, the pinnae being lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate. On the underside of the pinnae, accumulations of spore-cases take the form of golden dots arranged in a row on each side of the midveins.
This herb has a peculiar, rather unpleasant odor and a somewhat sickening taste. The fruit on the lower surface of the frond is in large golden dots or capsules. Should be gathered from June to September.
Where Found
Found all over the United States, growing in shady areas, among rocks, and on decaying tree stumps.
Medicinal Properties
Anthelmintic, cholagogue, demulcent, purgative, pectoral
Legends, Myths and Stories
The American pioneers soaked the starchy rootstocks in water and wood ashes for 24 hours and cooked the young leaves like pot herbs. The Native Americans knew the effect of the roots as a worm medicine; they boiled them and ate them.
Uses
In traditional medicine, infusions of lady fern were historically employed for coughs, hoarseness, and respiratory complaints, as well as an external wash for wounds. Herbalists also prepared decoctions and teas from the plant for use as purgatives, and utilized both decoctions and alcoholic extracts as anthelmintics against intestinal worms. Additionally, folk traditions recommended the plant for fever and lack of appetite.
Warning
Avoid during pregnancy.
Bibliography
The Herb Book , by John Lust, Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. copyright 1974. Culpeper’s Complete Herbal & English Physician: Updated With 117 Modern Herbs , by Nicholas Culpeper, Meyerbooks, publisher, PO Box 427, Glenwood, Illinois 60425, 1990, (reprint of 1814) Indian Herbalogy of North America , by Alma R. , Horticultural Hall, 300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, 1973 Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants , by Steven Foster and James A.
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