365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Fiddlin' Around
Day 201: Fern fiddleheads (young shoots) come in a fascinating array of shapes. While several species are considered edible, I do not collect them and would caution my readers against doing so. They must be properly prepared to remove the fine hairs which are irritating to the digestive system. I took a "fern walk" yesterday so that I could show you some of the various types of fiddlehead. Left to right: Oak Fern (Gymnocarpium dryopteris), a very soft-textured fern when fully unfurled; Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum), familiar to most people for its leathery, harsh foliage; Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum), arguably the most common fern in the Pacific Northwest and in fact one of the most abundant plant species in the world.
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