Ferns and Fern Allies (such as Horsetail and Clubmoss) have been used as herbal medicine since a time long before recorded history. That is not surprising, as these are the most ancient vascular plants on earth. There has never been a time when man walked the earth, that the ferns were not there as food, medicine, fiber, etc. We find the use of ferns recorded in nearly every tradition of herbal medicine, of every people on earth. Yet, before now, there has been no comprehensive guide to the Ferns, Fern Allies and their uses.

In setting out to correct this omission, I studied the herbal materia medicas, pharmacopias and folk lore of cultures spanning the globe, and the centuries. In this book, you will find information from the great physicians of ancient Greece, Jewish, Polish and Russian folk healers, Saints of the Middle Ages, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Elizabethan English doctors, German Folk Medicine, Native American healers, early American physicians, etc... all the way to the modern use of these plants in herbal medicine.

I also include interesting stories and folk lore regarding ferns from various cultures. These ancient plants feature prominently in myth and legend. While the folklore makes up only a small part of this book, its inclusion makes for fascinating and entertaining reading, along with the herbal information.

I truly enjoyed writing this book and believe it will be a valuable addition to the library of any herbalist. I am also sure that it will appeal to any lover of plants and people. While I am not one to believe in fairies and myths, ferns are certainly both beautiful and useful. Combining this book with a simple field guide or plant ID app should give the reader endless hours of pleasure in the woods and many practical uses for these most ancient and fascinating plants.