Blechnum. 
73 
as quite useless. Parkinson says, “ The dryed leaves of this taken in vinegar, is held to be 
good to dissolve the hardnesse of the spleene, and the greene leaves to be singular good for 
wounds, and to keepe them from inflammations.” He includes the Ostrich Fern or, as lie 
writes it, “ the Estridges Feme ” ( Onoclea Struthiopteris ) in the same chapter ; but the “ vertues ” 
seem to be attributed to the Blechnum; and Threlkeld, writing in 1727, says of this that “it 
hinders inflammations of wounds.” 
The Blechnum is one of the few ferns which has a genuine vernacular name apart 
from that by which it is usually known in books. Indeed, it has two or three — but one of these it 
shares with the Royal Fern, both being known in the New Forest district as “ Snake Fern.” 
It is a noticeable fact that snakes and adders play a prominent part in the vernacular nomen- 
clature of plants, and notably so among our British ferns. Besides the Adder’s Tongue (which 
has its serpent associations also perpetuated in its Latin title, Ophioglossuni), we find that the 
common Bracken is called “Adder-spit” in Sussex, while the common Polypody {Polypodium 
vulgare ) is called in Hampshire “Adder’s Fern.” It is quite likely that the somewhat snake- 
like appearance which the uncoiling fronds of some ferns — such as the Bracken — present, has 
suggested this association of names and ideas : it will also be observed that most of the plants, 
whether flowering or cryptogamic, which are so associated with snakes, are conspicuous in the 
spring and early summer, when adders and their relations abound. The second vernacular 
name for the fern now under consideration is, however, peculiar to it, and indeed would not 
be appropriate to any other British species. At YVinderwath, on the borders of Westmore- 
land and Cumberland, we are informed that it is known as the “ Herrin’-bone Fern;” and 
the resemblance between the form of the fronds, especially the fertile ones, and the object 
referred to in this local appellation, is certainly striking enough. In that interesting collection 
of letters, the “ Correspondence of John Ray,” published some thirty years since by the Ray 
Society, we find in a letter from Lhwyd to Ray a reference to the Blechnum under its old 
name of Lonchitis aspera. Speaking of certain “coal-plants” “found at a coal-pit in the 
P'orest of Dean,” he mentions “ Lonchitis aspera, called by the workmen ‘Vox Vearn,’ i.e., 
Fox Fern.” His identification of the fossil Fern with our recent Blechnum may, however, be 
considered open to question, but it is worthy of note that the vernacular name used by the 
workmen is*the same as that given by Parkinson as applied to the Hard Fern ; he says “this 
is called Foxes Feme in many places of this land.” 
It seems strange that the vernacular and popular nomenclature of our British ferns should 
be so very limited as it certainly is. One would have thought that ferns were abundant and 
conspicuous enough to have obtained at any rate a fair share of popular attention, and, as a 
consequence, a due proportion of vernacular names ; but such does not seem to be the case. 
Even so well-known and striking a fern as our common Bracken is almost destitute of 
genuine English names ; so that it is not surprising that other less conspicuous members of 
the family should have received but scant notice. But it is very difficult, if not impossible, 
to arrive at any conclusion as to the causes which render a plant sufficiently popular to 
receive a copious vernacular nomenclature. It is, of course, obvious that such a plant 
must be generally and abundantly distributed, and capable of arresting attention by brilliancy 
of colour or peculiarity of form, or by the possession of some medicinal or economic properties 
which cause it to be in frequent request. Yet such conspicuous and well-known wild flowers 
as the Forget-me-not {Myosotis palustris ) or the Fleabane {Pulicaria dysenterica) are almost 
devoid of any popular nomenclature ; the Mistletoe, with all its wealth of tradition and 
