Fern Seed
Preserved but no longer current.
We have the receipt of fern seed, we walk invisible (1 Henry IV, iv, 4). The seed of certain species of fern is so small as to be in- visible to the naked eye, and hence the plant was believed to confer invisibility on those who carried it about their person. It was at one time believed that plants have the power of im- parting their own speciality to their wearer.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Fern Seed” mean?
We have the receipt of fern seed, we walk invisible (1 Henry IV, iv, 4). The seed of certain species of fern is so small as to be in- visible to the naked eye, and hence the plant was believed to confer invisibility on those who carried it about their person. It was at one time believed that plants have the power of im- parting their own speciality to their wearer.
Is “Fern Seed” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.