A thousand times sweeter than sugar, the licorice-flavored rhizome, or underground stem, of polypody has been prized since ancient time, not so much for its sweetness as for its medicinal powers. From Greco-Roman antiquity physicians prescribed preperations derived from this small evergreen fern as a mild laxative, purgative, and a remedy for coughs and chest complaints. For all tese uses, "rheum-purging polupod," as poet Michael Drayton penned it, enjoyed a good reputation down to modern times. Herbalists also recommended decoctions of the dried and powdered rhizome for internal use to expel tapeworms and externally as a liniment.

The name polypody comes from a Greek word meaning "many footed", and alludes to the appearance of the plant's branching rhizomes, which may be fancied to look like many feet.

Uses:
In herbal medicine a tea brewed from the rhizome is taken as an appetite stimulant and for coughs. A stronger brew has a laxative effect, and a very strong brew is recomended for tapeworms.

None of these effects have been verified in any experiments...
polypody is also popular as an ornamental plant in rock gardens... and is available from us!... email mike@iceweb.net