GET 410 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Hydrogen Cyanide, Thiamine, Rhizome
6 Feb 2018
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Bracken is a plant species which under a diverse range of environmental conditions has become invasive at a global scale (schneider 2004). Bracken (pteridium) is a genus of large, coarse ferns in the familydennstaedtiaceae. Ferns (pteridophyta) are vascular plants that have alternating generations, large plants that produce spores and small plants that produce sex cells (eggs and sperm). Brackens are noted for their large, highly divided leaves. They are found on all continents except antarctica and in all environments except deserts, though their typical habitat is moorland. Bracken fiddleheads (the immature, tightly curled emerging fronds) have been eaten by many cultures throughout history, and are still commonly used today as a foodstuff(marrs& watt. [7][8] despite this, moderation of consumption is still recommended to mitigate chance of throat and stomach cancersuncooked bracken contains the enzymethiaminase, which breaks down thiamine. Eating excessive quantities of bracken can cause beriberi, especially in creatures with simple stomachs.
