This species has often been considered both a variety of Maidenhair fern and a Spleenwort.
Dioscorides tells us:
Asplenon has many leaves (similar to the creatures called centipedes and millipedes) growing round
about out of one root. It grows on walls and shady rocks or pebble stones — stalkless, flowerless, seedless, [its leaves] cut-in like those of fern, yellowish and rough underneath, but green above. The leaves (boiled with vinegar and taken as a drink for forty days) are able to reduce the spleen, but you must also rub the spleen with the leaves pounded into small pieces with wine. It helps slow painful urination, hiccups and jaundice, and breaks stones in the bladder. It is thought to be a cause of barrenness (used alone or hung about one with the spleen of a mule) but they say that to cause barrenness it must be dug up when the night is moonless. It is also called scolopendrium, splenium, hemionion, pteryx, lonchitis, aturius, phrygia, phrygitis, or philtrodotes, while the Magi call it the blood of a weasel.
Gerard wrote of Spleenworts:
Spleenwort being that kind of Fern called Asplenum or Ceterach, and the true Scolopendria, hath leaves a span long, jagged or cut upon both sides, even hard to the middle rib; every cut or incisure being as it were cut half round (whereby it is known from the rough Spleenwort) not one cut right against another, but one besides the other, set in several order, being slippery and green on the upper side, soft and downy underneath; which when they be withered are folded up together like a scroll, and hairy without, much like to the rough bear-worm wherewith men bait their hooks to catch fish: the root is small, black, and rough, much plaited or interlaced, having neither stalk, flower, nor seeds.
Rough Spleenwort is partly like the other Ferns in show, and beareth neither stalk nor seed, having narrow leaves a foot long, and somewhat longer, slashed on the edges even to the middle rib, smooth on the upper side, and of a swart green colour; underneath rough, as is the leaves of Polypody: the root is black; and set with a number of slender strings.
This greater Spleenwort hath leaves like Ceterach, of a span long, somewhat resembling those of Polypody, but that they are more divided, snipped about the edges, and sharp pointed: the root is fibrous and stringy. This grows on the rocks and mountainous places of Italy, and is the Lonchitis aspera maior of Matthiolus and others.
This kind of Spleenwort is not only barren of stalks and seeds, but also of spots and marks wherewith the others are spotted: the leaves are few in number, growing pyramid or steeplewise, great and broad below, and sharper toward the top by degrees: the root is thick, black, and bushy, as it were a crow's nest.
The Place.
Ceterach groweth upon old stone walls and rocks, in dark and shadowy places throughout the West part of England; especially upon the stone walls by Bristol, as you go to Saint Vincent's Rock, and likewise about Bath, Wells, and Salisbury, where I have seen great plenty thereof.
The rough Spleenwort groweth upon barren heaths, dry sandy banks, and shadowy places in most parts of England, but especially on a heath by London called Hampstead Heath, where it groweth in great abundance.
The Names.
Spleenwort or Miltwaste is called in Greek and Latin Asplenium, and also Scolopendria: of Gaza, Mula herba: in shops, Ceterach: in High Dutch, Steynfarn: in low Dutch, Steynvaren, and Miltcruyt: in English, Spleenwort, Miltwaste, Scalefern and Stonefern: it is called Asplenium, because it is special good against the infirmities of the spleen or milt, and Scolopendria of the likeness that it hath with the bear-worm, before remembered.
Rough Miltwaste is called of divers of the later writers Asplenium sylvestre, or wild Spleenwort: of some, Asplenium magnum, or great Spleenwort: Valerius Cordus calleth it Strutiopteris: and Dioscorides, Lonchitis aspera, or Rough Spleenwort: in Latin according to the same author, Longina, and Calabrina: in English, Rough Spleenwort, or Miltwaste.
The Temperature.
These plants are of thin parts, as Galen witnesseth, yet are they not hot, but in a mean.
The Virtues.
A. Dioscorides teacheth, that the leaves boiled in wine and drunk by the space of forty days, do take way infirmities of the spleen; help the strangury, and yellow jaundice, cause the stone in the bladder to moulder and pass away, all which are performed by such things as be of thin and subtle parts: he addeth likewise that they slay the hicket, or yexing, and also hinder conception, either inwardly taken, or hanged about the party, and therefore, saith Pliny, Spleenwort is not to be given to women, because it bringeth barrenness.
B. There be empirics or blind practitioners of this age, who teach, that with this herb not only the hardness and swelling of the spleen,but all infirmities of the liver also may be effectually, and in very short time removed, insomuch that the sodden liver of a beast is restored to his former constitution again, that is, made like unto a raw liver, if it be boiled again with this herb.
C. But this is to be reckoned among the old wives' fables, and that also which Dioscorides telleth of, touching the gathering of Spleenwort in the night, and other most vain things, which are found here and there scattered in old books: from which most of the later writers do not abstain, who many times fill up their pages with lies and frivolous toys, and by so doing do not a little deceive young students.
Culpepper wrote of Spleenworts in general:
Description. This is a small plant, consisting only of leaves, which spring from a fibrous root: they are about three or four inches long, hardly half an inch broad cut into small roundish segments, which stand not opposite ot one another, but alternately; they are of a greenish colour on the upper side, and brownish, and full of dusty seed underneath, generally crumpled or folded inward, in shape somewhat like the insect Scolopendra, whence it takes one of the names.
Place. It grows as well upon stone walls, as moist and shadowy places, about Bristol, and other the west parts plentifully; as also in Framlingham Castle, on Beaconsfield church in Berkshire, at Stroude in Kent, and elsewhere.
Time. It abides green all the winter.
Government and virtues. Saturn owns it. It is generally used against infirmities of the Spleen. It helps the stranguary, and wasteth the stone in the bladder, and is good against the yellow jaundice and the hiccough; but the juice of it in women hinders conception. Matthiolus says, that if a drachm of the dust that is on the backside of leaves be mixed with half a drachm of amber in powder, and taken with the juice of purslain or plantain, it helps the gonorrhea speedily, and that the herb and root being boiled and taken, helps all melancholy diseases, and those especially that arise from the venereal disease. Camerarius says, That the distilled water thereof being drank, is very effectual against the stone in the reins and bladder; and that the lye that is made of the ashes thereof being drank for some time together, helps splenetic persons. It is used in outward remedies for the same purpose. This is one of the five capiliary plants, ex re nomen habens, having its name from its good effect, in curing diseases of the spleen, taking away the swellings thereof, and hindering its too great largeness, whence likewise it is called Miltwaste: it likewise opens obstructions of the liver, helps the jaundice, and is very good for the rickets in children.
Mrs. Grieve wrote briefly:
The Black Spleenwort is a small fern growing in rather circular masses, either on walls, where its fronds are only from 3 to 6 inches long, or on shady hedgebanks, where its oblong-triangular, evergreen fronds may attain as much as 20 inches in length. The pinnae are alternate, slanting upwards; the pinnules thick, leathery, shiny, irregularly wedge-shaped. It is rather variable in form; when on exposed walls, it is more rigid and pointed and yellowish-green, instead of dark green. The sori are abundant, swelling over the edges of the pinnules. This is a very hardy and ornamental fern. Its stalks are polished and dark chestnut-brown in colour.
It is sometimes called Black Maidenhair, and has medicinal virtues similar to other Maidenhairs, a decoction of it relieving a troublesome cough and proving also a good hair wash.
Jon K’eogh wrote of the Irish tradition:
Ceterach, or Miltwaste
It has a temperate nature. The juice of the leaves taken in vinegar for forty days every morning, cures all obstructions of the spleen and liver. It is also very good against painful urination, stone in the bladder, jaundice, fevers and rickets in children.
Rough Spleenwort, lonchitis
It has a hot dry nature. Either internally or externally applied, it is very good for obstructions or swelling of the spleen. It is also beneficial for wounds, as it protects them from inflammation.
Plants for A Future states:
The plant is bitter, diuretic, laxative and ophthalmic. It is taken internally to treat diseases of the spleen, jaundice and ophthalmia. It is said to produce sterility in women. A decoction or syrup made from the fronds is emmenagogue, expectorant and pectoral. It is used to relieve troublesome coughs.
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.
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The information on this site is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or condition. Nothing on this site has been evaluated or approved by the FDA. I am not a doctor. The US government does not recognize the practice of herbal medicine and their is no governing body regulating herbalists. Therefore, I'm just a guy who studies herbs. I am not offering any advice. I won't even claim that anything I write is accurate or true! I can tell you what herbs have "traditionally been used for." I can tell you my own experience and if I believe an herb helped me. I cannot, nor would I tell you to do the same. If you use any herb I, or anyone else, mentions you are treating yourself. You take full responsibility for your health. Humans are individuals and no two are identical. What works for me may not work for you. You may have an allergy, sensitivity or underlying condition that no one else shares and you don't even know about. Be careful with your health. By continuing to read my blog you agree to be responsible for yourself, do your own research, make your own choices and not to blame me for anything, ever.
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