Southern bracken fern
Pteridium caudatum

Family: Dennstaedtiaceae

What it is like

A fern.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Is.,Central America, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Galapagos, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Nicaragua, North America, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, USA, Venezuela

How it is used for food

The young shoots are cut into small pieces and boiled or stewed with pork and eaten.

Edible parts

Fronds, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Samambia

Synonyms

Pteridium aquilinum var. caudatum (L.) Sadeb.; Pteridium aquilinum subsp caudatum (L.) Bonap.; Pteris aquilina var. caudata (L.) Link; Pteris aquilina var. mexicana Fee; Pteris caudata L.; Pteris caudata var. mexicana Fee; and others