Gerard's Herbal
Fig. 1619. Black Oak-Fern
The Description.
1. There is also a certain other kind of Fern like to the former Oak-Fern of Dodonĉus his description, but the stalks and ribs of the leaves are blackish, and the leaves of a deeper green colour: this groweth out also immediately from the root, and is likewise diversely, but not so finely indented: the root is made up of many strings not unlike to the Male Fern, but much lesser.
2. The Female Black Fern is like unto the male, saving his leaves are not so sharp at the points, more white and broad than the male, wherein consisteth the difference.
The Place.
They grow likewise upon trees in shadowy woods, and now and then in shadowy sandy banks, and under hedges.
The Time.
They remain green all the year long, otherwise than Polypody & Maidenhair do; yet do they not cease to bring forth new leaves in summer: they are destitute of flowers and seed, as is the former.
The Names.
This is called of divers of the later herbarists, Dryopteris nigra, or Black Oak-Fern, of the likeness that it hath with Dryopteris, which we have called in English, Oak-Fern, or Moss Fern: of others, Adiantum nigrum, or Black Maidenhair, that it may differ from the former, which is falsely called Adiantum. There are of the later herbarists who would have it to be Lonchitis aspera, or rough Spleenwort; but what likeness hath it with the leaves of Scolopendrium? none at all: therefore it is not Lonchitis aspera, much less Adiantum plinii, which differeth not from Adiantum theophrasti for what he hath of Adiantum, the same he taketh out of Theophrastus: the right Adiantum we will describe hereafter. Notwithstanding Black Oak-Fern was used of divers unlearned apothecaries of France and Germany for Adiantum, or Maidenhair of Lombardy: but these men did err in doing so; yet not so much as they who take Polypody of the Oak for the true Maidenhair.
The Temperature and Virtues.
The Black Oak-Fern hath no styptic quality at all, but is like in faculty to Trichomanes, or English Maidenhair.
