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Polypodium glycyrrhiza

Common name:	Licorice Fern	Family:	Polypodiaceae
Author:	Eaton.	Botanical references:	71, 200, 270
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	Although we have found no reports of toxicity for this species, a number of ferns contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable[200]. 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[172].
Range:	Western N. America - Alaska to California.
Habitat:	Rocks, mossy tree trunks, logs etc, below 600 metres in coniferous and mixed forests in California[71]. Cliffs and rocky slopes along coasts, often epiphytic, on a variety of substrates[270].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	P. glycyrriza[Smap,Smk,Spr] P. vulgare ssp. occidentale[B,P] P. vulgare var. commune[B,P] P. vulgare var. occidentale[B,P]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Fern, Licorice [S], Licorice Fern [S,P,B], Polypody [S],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	glycyrrhiza = sweet root
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Polypodiales. Polypody family
Other Range Info:	From the Ethnobotany Database
	Canada(Kwakiutl)

Physical Characteristics

Fern growing to 0.45m by 0.45m . It is hardy to zone 7. The seeds ripen from November to March. We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Walls.

Edible Uses

Root.

Root - raw or cooked[257] The root is sweetly liquorice-flavoured but is thin and fibrous and virtually inedible[200]. The root was commonly chewed for its very pleasant flavour by many native North American Indian tribes[256, 257]. It was often used as an appetiser, especially for children who would not eat[256]. Apart from its used as a pleasantly flavoured chew, it was seen as a famine food and was only used when there was a shortage of better foods[177, 257].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Alterative Carminative Haemostatic Pectoral.

Liquorice fern was employed medicinally by several native North American Indian tribes who used it especially as a treatment for a variety of chest complaints[257]. It is little, if at all, used in modern herbalism.
The rhizomes are alterative, carminative, haemostatic and pectoral[257]. The raw rhizomes have been eaten, or an infusion has been used, in the treatment of coughs and colds, chest pains, shortness of breath and VD[257]. The roots have been chewed, and the juice swallowed, as a treatment for sore throats and the spitting or vomiting of blood[257]. A tea of the pounded boiled rhizomes, mixed with fir needles, has been used to treat measles[213].
Coughs have been treated by chewing and slowly swallowing the juice of the roasted rhizome[213].
The roots have been used in the treatment of colds and sore throats[256].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Tolerates short periods of drought and direct sunlight, but it prefers bright filtered light[200]. Plants can be grown on a drystone wall[200].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].
There are several named varieties selected for their ornamental value[200].
Polypodium glycyrrhiza hybridizes with P. calirhiza and with P. hesperium to produce sterile triploids with misshapen spores[270].

Propagation

Spores - best sown as soon as ripe on the surface of a humus-rich sterilized soil. Keep the compost moist, preferably by putting a plastic bag over the pot. Pot on small clumps of plantlets as soon as they are large enough to handle and keep humid until they are well established. Do not plant outside until the ferns are at least 2 years old and then only in a very well sheltered position.
Division in spring[200].

Cultivars

'': There are some named forms for this species, but these have been developed for their ornamental value and not for their other uses. Unless you particularly require the special characteristics of any of these cultivars, we would generally recommend that you grow the natural species for its useful properties. We have, therefore, not listed the cultivars in this database[K].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[E] Ethnobotany Data (common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[C] Taxon data. from the CalFlora database.
Images from the CalPhoto database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Polypodium glycyrriza (a possible synonym).

[S] Illustration from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
[S] Illustration from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
[S] Image from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
[S] SW USA Dist. Maps from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[71] Munz. A California Flora. University of California Press 1959
An excellent flora but no pictures. Not for the casual reader.

[172] Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[213] Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.

[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

[256] Turner. N. J. Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples UBC Press. Vancouver. 1995 ISBN 0-7748-0533-1
Excellent little handbook about the native food plants of Western Canada. Good descriptions of the plants and their uses with colour photos of most plants.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

[270] Flora of N. America 0
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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