ceterach Bot.
(ˈsɛtəræk)
Also 6 cetrac, 6–7 citterach(e, 7 ceteratche, cetrache.
[a. med.L. ceterach, ceterah (Du Cange), in F. cétérac, It. cetracca, citracca, med.Gr. κιταράκ; the origin has been variously sought in Arabic and in Celtic.]
A genus of ferns, having the back of the fronds thickly covered with scales among which the sori are hidden. One small species with simply pinnate fronds, C. officinarum, Scale-fern or Miltwaste (formerly Grammitis) is a native of Britain.
| 1551 Turner Herbal i. E v a, The leues of Ceterach..made hote in vynegre, and dronken of..waste vp the mylt. 1565–78 Cooper Thesaur. s.v. Scolopendrium, That the Apothecaries call Cetrac. 1578 Lyte Dodoens iii. lxvii. 408 This herbe is called..in English Scaleferne..Ceterach, and Myltewaste. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. ii. iv. i. iii, Ceteratche, Mugwort, Liuerwort. 1884 Harper's Mag. Jan. 209/1 We searched for ferns, finding the rusty ceterach. |