Bracken
Pteridium aquilinum
On a thin-soiled, rocky slope on the Elgeyo Escarpment near Iten, Kenya. July 2014.
From Wikipedia: Brake or Common Bracken occurs in temperate and subtropical regions in both hemispheres. The extreme lightness of its spores has led to its global distribution. The large, roughly triangular fronds are produced singly, arising upwards from an underground rhizome, and grow to 1–3 m tall; the main stem, or stipe, is up to 1 cm diameter at the base. An adaptable plant, it readily colonises disturbed areas. The plant contains the carcinogenic compound ptaquiloside.
Dennstaedtiaceae -- Fern Family
More Information:
- Book: Upland Kenya Wild Flowers and Ferns by A. D. Q. Agnew, 3rd Revised Edition, 2013, Nature Kenya - The East Africa Natural History Society
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