Bot. Also 6 cetrac, 6–7 citterach(e, 7 ceteratche, cetrache. 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, Thesaurus, 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. Constance Fenimore Woolson, in Harper’s Mag., Jan., 209/1. We searched for ferns, finding the rusty ceterach, [etc.].
