Noun
fern -
any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by spores
nonflowering plant ,
pteridophyte plants having vascular tissue and reproducing by spores
class filicinae ,
class filicopsida ,
filicinae ,
filicopsida ferns
pecopteris Carboniferous fossil fern characterized by a regular arrangement of the leaflets resembling a comb
fern seed the asexual spore of ferns that resembles dust; once thought to be seeds and to make the possessor invisible
film fern ,
filmy fern any fern of the genus Hymenophyllum growing in tropical humid regions and having translucent leaves
bristle fern ,
filmy fern any fern of the genus Trichomanes having large pinnatifid often translucent fronds; most are epiphytic on tree branches and twigs or terrestrial on mossy banks
osmund ,
flowering fern any fern of the genus Osmunda: large ferns with creeping rhizomes; naked sporangia are on modified fronds that resemble flower clusters
crape fern ,
leptopteris superba ,
prince-of-wales feather ,
prince-of-wales fern ,
prince-of-wales plume ,
todea superba New Zealand with pinnate fronds and a densely woolly stalks; sometimes included in genus Todea
crepe fern ,
todea barbara ,
king fern fern of rain forests of tropical Australia and New Zealand and South Africa
curly grass ,
curly grass fern ,
schizaea pusilla rare small fern of northeastern North America having numerous slender spiraling fronds and forming dense tufts
anemia adiantifolia ,
pine fern fern of Florida and West Indies and Central America with rhizome densely clad in grown hairs
climbing fern any of several ferns of the genus Lygodium that climb by twining
mohria caffrorum ,
scented fern sweetly scented African fern with narrow bipinnate fronds
aquatic fern ,
water fern ferns that grow in water
adder's tongue ,
adder's tongue fern ferns with fertile spikes shaped like a snake's tongue
grape fern a fern of the genus Botrychium having a fertile frond bearing small grapelike clusters of spore cases
helminthostachys zeylanica ,
flowering fern any fern of the genus Osmunda: large ferns with creeping rhizomes; naked sporangia are on modified fronds that resemble flower clusters
diplopterygium longissimum ,
giant scrambling fern large scrambling fern forming large patches to 18 feet high; Pacific region and China
fan fern ,
gleichenia flabellata ,
sticherus flabellatus ,
umbrella fern large Australasian fern with fanlike repeatedly forked fronds; sometimes placed in genus Gleichenia
polypody any of numerous ferns of the genus Polypodium
aglaomorpha meyeniana ,
bear's-paw fern epiphytic fern with large fronds; Taiwan and Philippines
strap fern fern with long narrow strap-shaped leaves
drynaria rigidula ,
basket fern giant epiphytic or lithophytic fern; Asia to Polynesia and Australia
lecanopteris any of several bizarre ferns of the genus Lecanopteris having swollen hollow rhizomes that provide homes for symbiotic ants
microgramma-piloselloides ,
snake polypody epiphytic ferns with long rhizomes; tropical America
climbing bird's nest fern ,
microsorium punctatum tropical Africa to Australasia and Polynesia
phlebodium aureum ,
polypodium aureum ,
rabbit's-foot fern ,
serpent fern ,
golden polypody tropical American fern with brown scaly rhizomes cultivated for its large deeply lobed deep bluish-green fronds; sometimes placed in genus Polypodium
staghorn fern any of various tropical ferns of the genus Platycerium having large flat lobed fronds often resembling the antlers of a stag
cyclophorus lingua ,
felt fern ,
pyrrosia lingua ,
tongue fern east Asian fern having fronds shaped like tongues; sometimes placed in genus Cyclophorus
solanopteris bifrons ,
potato fern small epiphytic fern of South America with tuberous swellings along rhizomes
grass fern ,
vittaria lineata ,
ribbon fern epiphytic fern found in lowland forests of tropical America
spleenwort any of various chiefly rock-inhabiting ferns of the genus Asplenium
asplenium nidus ,
bird's nest fern tropical Old World or Australian epiphytic fern frequently forming tufts in tree crotches
asplenium scolopendrium ,
phyllitis scolopendrium ,
hart's-tongue ,
hart's-tongue fern Eurasian fern with simple lanceolate fronds
asplenium ceterach ,
ceterach officinarum ,
scale fern ,
scaly fern small European fern with chaffy leathery fronds
asplenium nigripes ,
schaffneria nigripes ,
scolopendrium nigripes a fern of the genus Schaffneria
scolopendrium a fern thought to resemble a millipede
hard fern any of several ferns of the genus Blechnum
rasp fern ,
doodia any fern of the genus Doodia having pinnate fronds with sharply dentate pinnae
chain fern a fern of the genus Woodwardia having the sori in chainlike rows
tree fern any of numerous usually tropical ferns having a thick woody stem or caudex and a crown of large fronds; found especially in Australia and New Zealand; chiefly of the families Cyatheaceae and Marattiaceae but some from Polypodiaceae
davallia any fern of the genus Davallia; having scaly creeping rhizomes
boulder fern ,
dennstaedtia punctilobula ,
hay-scented ,
hay-scented fern ,
scented fern fern of eastern North America with pale green fronds and an aroma like hay
pasture brake ,
pteridium aquilinum ,
bracken ,
brake large coarse fern often several feet high; essentially weed ferns; cosmopolitan
pteridium esculentum ,
bracken large coarse fern often several feet high; essentially weed ferns; cosmopolitan
culcita dubia ,
false bracken resembles Pteridium aquilinum; of Queensland, Australia
buckler fern ,
shield fern any of various ferns of the genera Dryopteris or Polystichum or Lastreopsis having somewhat shield-shaped coverings on the sori
wood-fern ,
wood fern ,
woodfern any of various ferns of the genus Dryopteris
athyrium filix-femina ,
lady fern most widely grown fern of the genus Athyrium for its delicate foliage
athyrium pycnocarpon ,
diplazium pycnocarpon ,
glade fern ,
narrow-leaved spleenwort ,
silvery spleenwort North American fern with narrow fronds on yellowish leafstalks
cyrtomium aculeatum ,
polystichum aculeatum ,
holly fern tropical Old World fern having glossy fronds suggestive of holly; sometimes placed in genus Polystichum
bladder fern any fern of the genus Cystopteris characterized by a hooded indusium or bladderlike membrane covering the sori
athyrium thelypteroides ,
deparia acrostichoides ,
silvery spleenwort North American fern with narrow fronds on yellowish leafstalks
gymnocarpium dryopteris ,
oak fern ,
thelypteris dryopteris bright blue-green fern widely distributed especially in damp acid woodlands of temperate northern hemisphere
gymnocarpium robertianum ,
limestone fern ,
northern oak fern yellow-green fern of rocky areas of northern hemisphere
matteuccia struthiopteris ,
onoclea struthiopteris ,
ostrich fern ,
pteretis struthiopteris ,
shuttlecock fern ,
fiddlehead tall fern of northern temperate regions having graceful arched fronds and sporophylls resembling ostrich plumes
olfersia cervina ,
polybotria cervina ,
polybotrya cervina ,
hart's-tongue ,
hart's-tongue fern Eurasian fern with simple lanceolate fronds
bead fern ,
onoclea sensibilis ,
sensitive fern beautiful spreading fern of eastern North America and eastern Asia naturalized in western Europe; pinnately divided fronds show a slight tendency to fold when touched; pinnules enclose groups of sori in beadlike lobes
canker brake ,
christmas fern ,
dagger fern ,
polystichum acrostichoides ,
evergreen wood fern North American evergreen fern having pinnate leaves and dense clusters of lance-shaped fronds
holly fern tropical Old World fern having glossy fronds suggestive of holly; sometimes placed in genus Polystichum
leatherleaf fern ,
polystichum adiantiformis ,
rumohra adiantiformis ,
ten-day fern ,
leather fern widely distributed fern of tropical southern hemisphere having leathery pinnatifid fronds
tectaria cicutaria ,
button fern Jamaican fern having round buttonlike bulbils
indian button fern ,
tectaria macrodonta fern of tropical Asia having round buttonlike bulbils
woodsia any fern of the genus Woodsia
oleander fern ,
oleandra mollis ,
oleandra neriiformis tropical fern having leathery fronds resembling oleander; found from Asia to Polynesia
sword fern any of several tropical ferns having more or less sword-shaped fronds including one from which the Boston fern developed
acrostichum aureum ,
golden fern ,
leather fern stout tropical swamp fern (especially tropical America) having large fronds with golden yellow sporangia covering the undersides
maidenhair ,
maidenhair fern any of various small to large terrestrial ferns of the genus Adiantum having delicate palmately branched fronds
annual fern ,
anogramma leptophylla ,
jersey fern small short-lived fern of Central and South America
lip fern ,
lipfern any of various terrestrial ferns of the genus Cheilanthes; cosmopolitan in arid and semiarid temperate or tropical regions
cheilanthes gracillima ,
lace fern small tufted fern of northwestern America
bamboo fern ,
coniogramme japonica fast-growing sturdy Japanese fern; cultivated for their attractive broad dark-green pinnate fronds
rock brake dwarf deciduous lithophytic ferns
doryopteris pedata ,
hand fern tropical American fern with coarsely lobed to palmatifid fronds
cliff-brake ,
cliff brake ,
rock brake any of several small lithophytic ferns of tropical and warm temperate regions
pellaea rotundifolia ,
button fern Jamaican fern having round buttonlike bulbils
pityrogramma argentea ,
silver fern fern of southern tropical Africa having fronds with white undersides
pityrogramma calomelanos ,
silver fern fern of southern tropical Africa having fronds with white undersides
pityrogramma calomelanos aureoflava ,
golden fern stout tropical swamp fern (especially tropical America) having large fronds with golden yellow sporangia covering the undersides
gold fern ,
pityrogramma chrysophylla fern of West Indies and South America having fronds with bright golden-yellow undersides
brake a restraint used to slow or stop a vehicle
pteris cretica cultivated in many varieties as houseplants
pteris multifida ,
spider brake ,
spider fern Asiatic fern introduced in America
pteris serrulata ,
spider fern ,
ribbon fern epiphytic fern with straplike usually twisted fronds of tropical Asia and Polynesia and America
marattia salicina ,
potato fern small epiphytic fern of South America with tuberous swellings along rhizomes
dryopteris thelypteris ,
marsh fern ,
thelypteris palustris fern having pinnatifid fronds and growing in wet places; cosmopolitan in north temperate regions
christella any of several tropical ferns of the genus Christella having thin brittle fronds
dryopteris oreopteris ,
mountain fern ,
oreopteris limbosperma common European mountain fern having fragrant lemon or balsam scented fronds
dryopteris noveboracensis ,
new york fern ,
parathelypteris novae-boracensis slender shield fern of moist woods of eastern North America; sometimes placed in genus Dryopteris
massachusetts fern ,
parathelypteris simulata ,
thelypteris simulata delicate feathery shield fern of the eastern United States; sometimes placed in genus Thelypteris
