AJDIANTUM. No. 2 



New England to Missouri and Virginia. It becomes 

 more scarce in the South, being confined to the 

 mountains. It delights in rich soil and deep woods, 

 but is also found on hills and among rocks. It may 

 be collected at any time; but must not be mistaken 



r 



nor blended with the Sweet fern shrub, Comptonia 

 Asphni folia, which is a shrub with fragrant leaves. 



This genus belongs to CRrpxoGAMiA Filices of 

 Linnaeus. The natural order of Ferns or Filices Is 

 very easily known by having a Frond or flat foliage, 

 bearing an inconspicuous fructification in lines or 

 dots without flowers. All the ferns have a peculiar 

 smell, rather grateful, and more or less fragrant ; it 

 is very perceptible in the Brake or Pteris aquilina, 

 the Thelipteris, Driopteris, &c. Although but 

 slightly unfolded in the ^. pedatum, yet it gives a 

 flavor to its decoction or syrup. 



QUALITIES— The active qualities of this fern, 

 reside in its mucilage united to a small portion of 

 aroma and tannin. The same principles are found In 

 various proportions in all the other medical ferns. 



PROPERTIES — Pectoral and expectorant, muci- 

 laginous, subastringent, ?ubtonic. It 'is used in decoc- 

 tion or syrup. The celebrated Syrop de Capillalre 

 of the French is made with it, which is a pleasant 

 summer drink, and popular pectoral remedy throuo-h- 

 out Europe, although little known in America ex- 

 cept among the French and Germans. It is found 

 useful in all coughs and hoarseness, also in asthma 

 and tickling of the throat, and even in pleurisy and 



all disorders of Uie bronchia, lar>nx and breast. 



