bracken

views updated May 18 2018

bracken Young unopened leaves (fronds) of bracken (Pteridium spp.), eaten as a vegetable and regarded as a delicacy in the Far East. Known as fiddleheads in Canada. They contain an antagonist of vitamin B1; cattle and horses eating large amounts suffer from blind staggers due to acute vitamin B1 deficiency; also contain a number of known or suspected carcinogens.

A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition DAVID A. BENDER

bracken

views updated May 21 2018

brack·en / ˈbrakən/ • n. a tall fern (Pteridium aquilinum, family Dennstaedtiaceae) with coarse lobed fronds that occurs worldwide and can cover large areas. ∎  (loosely) any large coarse fern resembling this.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

bracken

views updated May 23 2018

bracken Persistent, weedy fern found worldwide. It has an underground stem that can travel 1.8m (6ft) and sends up fronds that may reach 4.6m (15ft) in some climates. The typica variety is widespread in Britain. Family Dennstaedtiaceae; species Pteridium aquilinum.

World Encyclopedia

bracken

views updated May 21 2018

bracken See PTERIDIUM.

A Dictionary of Plant Sciences MICHAEL ALLABY

bracken

views updated Jun 11 2018

bracken XIV. ME. braken — ON. *brakni (Cf. Sw. bräken, Da. bregne).

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

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