Bracken fern is one of the most widespread of the world's plants and one
of the most important to early peoples, who ate the starchy portions of
the rhizomes (rather than the perhaps carcinogenic foliage): from the
Northwest Coast to the Maori of New Zealand.

Gene Hunn.

On Thu, 16 Feb 1995, Christopher Hill wrote:

>
>
> On Thu, 16 Feb 1995, Stuart MacKay wrote:
>
> > In between pulling tons of Broom (Scots don't like the stuff either, and be
> > thankful there is no bracken over here - a hideous fern which grows
> > everywhere and is carcenogenic - long term exposure only)
>
> Hi Stuart,
>
> I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong about the local situation,
> but there is plenty of bracken on this continent, flourishing in dry,
> disturbed, and grazed places. If you're not seeing it in Western
> Washington, perhaps it's the moist climate and lack of grazers (though I
> know Scotland tends to the moist, too)?
>
> Chris Hill
> Seattle, WA
> cehill at u.washington.edu
>
>