Prestigious Plants - Ferns 06 - Wood Fern

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WOOD FERN (Dryopteris)

Family: Dryopteridaceae
Species: Dryopteris filix-mas

Dryopteris filix-mas

Names: 

• Wood Fern
• Ahornvaren [Danish]
• Augstas Paparde [Latvian]
• Basketfern
• Brede Stekelvaren [Dutch]
• Buckler Fern
• Common Male Fern
• Common Wood Fern
• Dryoptéris Fougère-Mâle [French]
• Erigeron [Ancient Greek]
• Fálkia [Icelandic]
• Gewone Mannetjesvaren [Dutch]
• Gewöhnlicher Wurmfarn [German]
• Gimypapartis [Lithuanian]
• Jávorszarvas-Páfrány [Hungarian]
• Kiyosumi-Shida [Japanese]
• Kyosumurhon [Korean]
• Lucky Hands
• Male Fern
• Male Shield Fern
• Männlicher Wurmfarn [German]
• Mannetjesvaren [Dutch]
• Męska Paproć [Polish]
• Naritake-Warabi [Japanese]
• Ormbunke [Swedish]
• Ormörnbräken [Swedish]
• Samambre Macho [Spanish]
• Shield Fern
• Skjoldbregne [Danish]
• Soreisiipi [Finnish]
• Strußfarn [German]
• Sõnajalg [Estonian]
• Worm Fern
• Wurmfarn [German]

Distribution:

• Africa, Northern: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia
• America, North: Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Labrador, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Québec, Saskatchewan), Mexico (Mexico Northeast), United States (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming)
• Asia, Central: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tibet, Uzbekistan
• Asia, East: China (China North-Central)
• Asia, Northern: Russia (Altay, Buryatiya, Central European Russia, Chita, East European Russia, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Krym, North Caucasus, North European Russia, Northwest European Russia, Tuva, West Siberia, Yakutskiya)
• Asia, South: Afghanistan, Pakistan
• Asia, West: Iran, Turkey
• Europe, Central: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland
• Europe, Eastern: Belarus, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine
• Europe, Northern: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden
• Europe, Southern: Albania, Croatia, Greece (including Crete), Italy (including Sicily), North Macedonia, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain (including Balearic Islands)
• Europe, Western: Belgium, England, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland

Biome: Damp, shaded areas.

Physical Description
Most species of this genus have stout, slowly creeping rootstocks that form a crown, with the fronds growing in a vase-like ring. Species in this genus readily hybridize.

Dryopteris filix-mas favors damp, shaded areas in woodland understories, hedge banks, rocks, and screes. This is different in northern climes, where it prefers sunny-well-drained ground.

Symbolism
This plant was named “male fern” because it appears more robust and vigorous than the modest and gracile “ladyfern” (Athyrium).

Magic
Skinner relays that the hand-like fronds (and, to a lesser extent, the root) were thought to ward off witchcraft and the evil eye, hence the name “lucky hands.” However, this plant is said to attract snakes, to the point of serpents chasing whoever holds it until he throws the plant away.

Supposedly, the ash of this fern lent magic qualities to glass when used in production, and Skinner relays the legend that Genghis Khan wore a ring of such glass, which gave him knowledge of plants and the speech of birds.

Medical
We are not a medical website; do not take health advice from us.

Much of the medical use below comes from The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies.

The roots should be harvested in autumn and dried for later use. Consumption through tea or food is advised. It should not be consumed with oils, fats, or alcohol, as those are carrier chemicals for the plant’s toxic compounds.

Antiviral/Antibacterial
Apelian and Davis say the plant's rhizome is antiviral and antibacterial, treating colds, viruses, mumps, and bacterial infections.

Fever-Reducer
Apelian and Davis claim the rhizome is a fever-reducer.

Hemorrhage
The rhizome is suitable for treating internal bleeding and uterine bleeding.

Tapeworm
It was named “worm fern” because it was used to treat tapeworms in antiquity, a use supported by Apelian and Davis. They suggest taking the root stalks to paralyze the parasites, aiding in expelling them from the body. The root stalks are eaten after fasting for a few hours. The active ingredients are supposed to be good for treating parasites generally. Avoid oils, fats, and alcohol during treatment, as they will interfere. It is common to combine it with a light laxative. Use extreme caution.

Weight Loss
Supposedly, eating the rhizomes can assist in weight loss.

Poison
It contains thiaminase, which can cause Vitamin B deficiency.

Food 
Edible, cooked fronds taste like asparagus or artichoke. 

Compiler Notes

• Species in this genus readily hybridize, which suggests a high level of mutability. One could produce high-quality reagent ferns through arcane soil conditioning and crossbreeding with prepared recipient ferns.
• Ferns so prepared or bred have a magical seminal quality by virtue of their “maleness.”
• The magical properties of this “male fern” might be inverted in or countered by the “ladyfern” (Athyrium). 
• According to Skinner, glass made with the ash of this fern had magical properties. Glass-ash mixtures are worth exploring.
• What is the “speech of birds?” Are the birds being engaged as animals or as spirits? The distinction here might be consequential.
• The weight-loss angle may be a consequence of avoiding oils, fats, and alcohol when consuming.
• The “worm fern” angle could be expanded to efficacy against spirits of disease, called “worms” in Medieval Europe. This aligns with its purported magical qualities; otherwise, save that of attracting snakes. As snakes are also a kind of “worm” by form, this introduces an interesting contradiction. Perhaps the plant effectively wards evil spirits of weaker constitution, but overuse attracts amore powerful malevolence?

Image Refs

[Img 01 - https://www.gardeningexpress.co.uk/e15184-dryopteris-filix-mas-male-fern ]

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See Also:

• Plants
• Flowers
• Trees
• Ferns
• Moss and Lichen [Pending]
• Fungi [Pending]
• Cladistic Index
• Herbal Medicine [Pending]
• Resin, Incense, Balsam, and Lacquer [Pending]

Ferns

• Adder's Tongue and Moonwort
• Bracken
• Horsetail Fern
• Ladyfern
• Maidenhair Fern and Brake
• Ostrich Fern
• Royal Fern

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-Apelian, Nicole, and Claude Davis. The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies : The Healing Power of Plant Medicine. 2021.

-Skinner, Charles M. “Myths and Legends of Flowers, Trees, Fruits, and Plants : In All Ages and in All Climes : Skinner, Charles M. (Charles Montgomery), 1852-1907 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming.” Internet Archive, Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott Co., 1 Jan. 1970, https://archive.org/details/mythslegendsoffl00skin. 

( https://powo.science.kew.org/ )
( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryopteridaceae )
( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryopteris )
( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryopteris_filix-mas )

Name assistance provided by Claude 3.5 Sonnet.