Licorice fern
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| Polypodium glycyrrhiza | ||||||||||||||
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| Polypodium glycyrrhiza D.C. Eaton |
Licorice fern (Polypodium glycyrrhiza) is an evergreen fern native to western North America. It can often be found growing on the trunks and branches of deciduous trees, particularly bigleaf maple. The fern can also be found on rocks, logs, and wet, mossy humus. Licorice fern acquires its name from its licorice-flavored rhizome, which was chewed for flavor by numerous Native American groups, including the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, Shishalh, Comox, Nuxalk, Haida, and Kwakwaka'wakw. The rhizomes were also usually medicinally as a treatment for the cold and sore throats. [1]
[edit] References
- ^ Pojar, Jim (2004). Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Edmonton: Lone Pine Publishing. ISBN 9781551055305.
