nonflowering plant

any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by spores

pteridophytes of other classes than Filicopsida

Carboniferous fossil fern characterized by a regular arrangement of the leaflets resembling a comb

any fern of the genus Hymenophyllum growing in tropical humid regions and having translucent leaves

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

any fern of the genus Osmunda: large ferns with creeping rhizomes; naked sporangia are on modified fronds that resemble flower clusters

New Zealand with pinnate fronds and a densely woolly stalks; sometimes included in genus Todea

fern of rain forests of tropical Australia and New Zealand and South Africa

rare small fern of northeastern North America having numerous slender spiraling fronds and forming dense tufts

fern of Florida and West Indies and Central America with rhizome densely clad in grown hairs

any of several ferns of the genus Lygodium that climb by twining

sweetly scented African fern with narrow bipinnate fronds

ferns that grow in water

ferns with fertile spikes shaped like a snake's tongue

a fern of the genus Botrychium having a fertile frond bearing small grapelike clusters of spore cases

Australasian fern with clusters of sporangia on stems of fertile fronds

large scrambling fern forming large patches to 18 feet high; Pacific region and China

large Australasian fern with fanlike repeatedly forked fronds; sometimes placed in genus Gleichenia

any of numerous ferns of the genus Polypodium

epiphytic fern with large fronds; Taiwan and Philippines

fern with long narrow strap-shaped leaves

giant epiphytic or lithophytic fern; Asia to Polynesia and Australia

any of several bizarre ferns of the genus Lecanopteris having swollen hollow rhizomes that provide homes for symbiotic ants

epiphytic ferns with long rhizomes; tropical America

tropical Africa to Australasia and Polynesia

tropical American fern with brown scaly rhizomes cultivated for its large deeply lobed deep bluish-green fronds; sometimes placed in genus Polypodium

any of various tropical ferns of the genus Platycerium having large flat lobed fronds often resembling the antlers of a stag

east Asian fern having fronds shaped like tongues; sometimes placed in genus Cyclophorus

small epiphytic fern of South America with tuberous swellings along rhizomes

epiphytic fern found in lowland forests of tropical America

any of various chiefly rock-inhabiting ferns of the genus Asplenium

tropical Old World or Australian epiphytic fern frequently forming tufts in tree crotches

Eurasian fern with simple lanceolate fronds

small European fern with chaffy leathery fronds

a fern of the genus Schaffneria

a fern thought to resemble a millipede

any of several ferns of the genus Blechnum

any fern of the genus Doodia having pinnate fronds with sharply dentate pinnae

a fern of the genus Woodwardia having the sori in chainlike rows

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

any fern of the genus Davallia; having scaly creeping rhizomes

fern of eastern North America with pale green fronds and an aroma like hay

large coarse fern often several feet high; essentially weed ferns; cosmopolitan

fern of southeastern Asia; not hardy in cold temperate regions

resembles Pteridium aquilinum; of Queensland, Australia

any of various ferns of the genera Dryopteris or Polystichum or Lastreopsis having somewhat shield-shaped coverings on the sori

any of various ferns of the genus Dryopteris

most widely grown fern of the genus Athyrium for its delicate foliage

North American fern with narrow fronds on yellowish leafstalks

tropical Old World fern having glossy fronds suggestive of holly; sometimes placed in genus Polystichum

any fern of the genus Cystopteris characterized by a hooded indusium or bladderlike membrane covering the sori

fern with elongate silvery outgrowths enclosing the developing spores

bright blue-green fern widely distributed especially in damp acid woodlands of temperate northern hemisphere

yellow-green fern of rocky areas of northern hemisphere

tall fern of northern temperate regions having graceful arched fronds and sporophylls resembling ostrich plumes

tropical American terrestrial fern with leathery lanceolate fronds; sometimes placed in genus Polybotrya

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

North American evergreen fern having pinnate leaves and dense clusters of lance-shaped fronds

any of various ferns of the genus Polystichum having fronds with texture and gloss like holly

widely distributed fern of tropical southern hemisphere having leathery pinnatifid fronds

Jamaican fern having round buttonlike bulbils

fern of tropical Asia having round buttonlike bulbils

any fern of the genus Woodsia

tropical fern having leathery fronds resembling oleander; found from Asia to Polynesia

any of several tropical ferns having more or less sword-shaped fronds including one from which the Boston fern developed

stout tropical swamp fern (especially tropical America) having large fronds with golden yellow sporangia covering the undersides

any of various small to large terrestrial ferns of the genus Adiantum having delicate palmately branched fronds

small short-lived fern of Central and South America

any of various terrestrial ferns of the genus Cheilanthes; cosmopolitan in arid and semiarid temperate or tropical regions

small tufted fern of northwestern America

fast-growing sturdy Japanese fern; cultivated for their attractive broad dark-green pinnate fronds

dwarf deciduous lithophytic ferns

tropical American fern with coarsely lobed to palmatifid fronds

any of several small lithophytic ferns of tropical and warm temperate regions

fern of New Zealand and Australia having trailing fronds with dark green buttonlike leaflets

fern of southern tropical Africa having fronds with white undersides

tropical American fern having fronds with white undersides

tropical American fern having fronds with light golden undersides

fern of West Indies and South America having fronds with bright golden-yellow undersides

any of various ferns of the genus Pteris having pinnately compound leaves and including several popular houseplants

cultivated in many varieties as houseplants

Asiatic fern introduced in America

fern of North Africa and Azores and Canary Islands

large Australasian evergreen fern with an edible rhizome sometimes used as a vegetable by indigenous people

chiefly tropical clump-forming plants of skeletal appearance resembling whisk brooms; lacking roots

perennial rushlike flowerless herbs with jointed hollow stems and narrow toothlike leaves that spread by creeping rhizomes; tend to become weedy; common in northern hemisphere; some in Africa and South America

primitive evergreen moss-like plant with spores in club-shaped strobiles

any of several spore-bearing aquatic or marsh plants having short rhizomes and leaves resembling quills; worldwide except Polynesia

fern having pinnatifid fronds and growing in wet places; cosmopolitan in north temperate regions

any of several tropical ferns of the genus Christella having thin brittle fronds

common European mountain fern having fragrant lemon or balsam scented fronds

slender shield fern of moist woods of eastern North America; sometimes placed in genus Dryopteris

delicate feathery shield fern of the eastern United States; sometimes placed in genus Thelypteris

any fern of the genus Phegopteris having deeply cut triangular fronds