Re: Fern question

>     I am no expert on ferns, but took a look. you may, indeed, have a Oak Fern as
> it has that habit of growth same as the Hay Scented fern Marge mentioned in her
> message. My literature says one is not likely to encounter your Oak fern very
> often in the trade or in nature. Marge's hay Scented fern is easily located.
> However, neither one matched my photos here. The leaf you scanned was broadly
> triangular and very regular in pattern and form. Hay Scented has little hairs all
> down the stem in between the leaves.

Last post about this, I promise.  :)

I did some more checking and it looks like it's probably a bracken fern
(Pteridium aquilinum).  It's probably a good thing because I found out
that oak ferns are an endangered species in Illinois, so I'd hate to be
mowing them over.  :)

The ferns may have come from Minnesota.  The family that built the house
used to have a cottage up there that they visited every summer.  And
every time, without fail, they would come back with 2 or 3 seedling
trees that they planted along the property line.  I wouldn't doubt that
other plants had been brought back, too.  But it's quite woodsy back there
now with lots of fir, spruce, and pines.

There's a good photograph and description of it at

   http://www.ceie.sunysb.edu/longis/ferns.html

Also discovered that it is a known carcinogen and causes severe hemorrhaging
of the intestinal tract in animals.

Chris

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