MEDICINAL PLANTS

It is the best known of all ferns. It consists of a rhizome that grows horizontally, encroaching on farmland. The leaves and branches growing from it can reach up to two meters high. These leaflets are attached to the branches for a corner that has no hair, are divided into segments that have a triangular shape and are a bit overwhelmed, thus protecting the sporangia growing between them. Can be found in the mountains of the Peninsula, especially north and west. They are raised in areas of siliceous earths, sandy soils and wet, among heather and woods.

FLOWERING

You can not talk flowering time, because it is a fern and no flowers. A change has sporangia own reproductive organs of ferns, containing spores inside. Sporangia of the fern are common in fertile stems in the summer months. When a spore falls to the ground does not lead to the growth of a fern, but instead grows a tiny little plant called prothallus and that can only be seen through a microscope. There are male and female prothallus, and the birth of a new fern is necessary that the male fertilizes the female. This fern leaves are harvested and rhizome. Depending on the time when the rhizome is collected, it will be more or less active, it is best for the fall.

APPLICATIONS

The composition of this fern is not well known, among other reasons because the common fern is a plant used medicinally is not optional for preparing medicines. The only place where this plant is considered as a good remedy for many ailments is in Mallorca, and more specifically the ferns that grow around the shrine Lluc. It is considered good hypotensive because it is able to "lower blood". Formerly by lowering the blood was meant not only lower blood pressure but also used this term when they wanted to eliminate blood infections or simply ease a headache because of palpitations. It is also considered useful to reduce heavy menstrual periods. In other areas such as Andalusia this plant has been used on occasion as antidiarrheal and worming.

ADMINISTRATION

Infusion. It gets a pint of boiling water, and adding a handful of bracken fern, is allowed to cool and drink three cups a day. This preparation is useful in case of high voltages and heavy periods.

SUMMARY

FAMILY: Polipodiaceas
HABITAT: Siliceous earths
FLOWERING: Sporangia mature in summer and autumn
PART USED: Leaves and rhizome
CASTILIAN: Helecho hembra
CATALAN: Falguera
BASQUE: Garo
GALICIAN: Feto ordinario

USES

Antidiarrheal Leve, Slight worming, Mild hypotensive.