Brackens (Pteridium) are a genus of about ten species of large, coarse ferns, in the family Dennstaedtiaceae. The genus has probably the widest distribution of any fern genus in the world, being found on all continents except Antarctica and in all environments except for hot and cold deserts. Therefore it is considered to have a cosmopolitan distribution. In the past, the genus was commonly treated as having only one species, Pteridium aquilinum, but the recent trend is to subdivide it into several species.
It can also have a major impact on archaeological remains, by disturbing or destroying below-ground archaeological interest. It also obscures archaeological sites which could lead to their inadvertent damage.
The word bracken is of Old Norse origin, related to the Swedish word bräken, meaning fern.
