Dried Osmunda japonica and dried Pteridium aquilinum are very similar and almost indistinguishable, but Pteridium aquilinum and Osmunda japonica are not the same thing. There are "picking Wei" and "picking ferns" in the Book of Songs. For example, in the Book of Songs Zhao Nan, there is a saying that "I want Nanshan Mountain, I choose its fern". Botanically speaking, Osmunda japonica is a perennial fern of Osmunda in Osmundaceae, and Pteridium aquilinum is a perennial fern of Pteris.

There is still a big difference between fresh Osmunda japonica and fresh bracken. Pteridium aquilinum is bigger than Osmunda japonica. When Osmunda japonica just grows, the whole plant is covered with white fluff, and the top of Osmunda japonica is round or spike-shaped. Pteridium aquilinum also has fluff, but the fluff is dark brown, and the new leaves at the top are rolled into a trigeminal shape. Pteridium aquilinum grows on sunny slopes in shallow mountainous areas, Osmunda japonica likes to be wet, and likes to grow in valleys and valleys. On the taste, Osmunda japonica is slightly astringent, but it is not stagnant at all. Pteridium aquilinum is slightly bitter, but the juice is thick and smooth.