Herb latin name: Botrychium ternatum


Family: Ophioglossaceae (Adder's Tongue Family)



Medicinal use of Botrychium ternatum:

The plant is stomachic, tonic and vulnerary. The root is used in the treatment of dysentery.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Fern

Height:
30 cm
(11 3/4 inch)

Habitat of the herb:

Thickets and grassy places in lowland and low mountains, C. and S. Japan.

Edible parts of Botrychium ternatum:

Leaves - cooked. A soft delicious taste.

Propagation of the herb:

Spores - best surface sown as soon as they are ripe in a greenhouse and do not allow the compost to dry out. Placing the pot in a plastic bag helps to maintain a humid atmosphere which promotes germination and growth. Prick out small clumps into pots when they are large enough to handle and keep moist until established. Grow on in a greenhouse for at least the first winter and plant out in late spring. Division. It is best not to try and disturb this plant.

Cultivation of Botrychium ternatum:

Thickets and grassy places in lowland and low mountains, C. and S. Japan.

Known hazards of Botrychium ternatum:

Although we have found no reports of toxicity for this species, a number of ferns contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable. Many ferns also contain thiaminase, an enzyme that robs the body of its vitamin B complex. In small quantities this enzyme will do no harm to people eating an adequate diet that is rich in vitamin B, though large quantities can cause severe health problems. The enzyme is destroyed by heat or thorough drying, so cooking the plant will remove the thiaminase.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.