fern
Other forms: ferns
A fern is a leafy green plant that grows in shady spots. If you see feathery fronds growing on the forest floor, they're probably ferns.
Ferns are interesting plants in that they spread using spores (similar to the way mushrooms and other fungi reproduce), and they have a vascular system. Their complex leaves, like our circulatory system, move water and nutrients throughout the fern. Unlike most plants, ferns don't have seeds or flowers, but their delicate leaves are lovely enough to make them popular house plants.
Definitions of fern
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any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by sporestypes:pecopterisCarboniferous fossil fern characterized by a regular arrangement of the leaflets resembling a combfilm fern, filmy fernany fern of the genus Hymenophyllum growing in tropical humid regions and having translucent leavesbristle fern, filmy fernany fern of the genus Trichomanes having large pinnatifid often translucent fronds; most are epiphytic on tree branches and twigs or terrestrial on mossy banksflowering fern, osmundany fern of the genus Osmunda: large ferns with creeping rhizomes; naked sporangia are on modified fronds that resemble flower clustersLeptopteris superba, Prince-of-Wales feather, Prince-of-Wales fern, Prince-of-Wales plume, Todea superba, crape fernNew Zealand with pinnate fronds and a densely woolly stalks; sometimes included in genus TodeaTodea barbara, crepe fern, king fernfern of rain forests of tropical Australia and New Zealand and South AfricaSchizaea pusilla, curly grass, curly grass fernrare small fern of northeastern North America having numerous slender spiraling fronds and forming dense tuftsAnemia adiantifolia, pine fernfern of Florida and West Indies and Central America with rhizome densely clad in grown hairsclimbing fernany of several ferns of the genus Lygodium that climb by twininggrape ferna fern of the genus Botrychium having a fertile frond bearing small grapelike clusters of spore casesHelminthostachys zeylanica, flowering fernAustralasian fern with clusters of sporangia on stems of fertile frondsDiplopterygium longissimum, giant scrambling fernlarge scrambling fern forming large patches to 18 feet high; Pacific region and ChinaGleichenia flabellata, Sticherus flabellatus, fan fern, umbrella fernlarge Australasian fern with fanlike repeatedly forked fronds; sometimes placed in genus Gleicheniapolypodyany of numerous ferns of the genus Polypodiumstrap fernfern with long narrow strap-shaped leaveslecanopterisany of several bizarre ferns of the genus Lecanopteris having swollen hollow rhizomes that provide homes for symbiotic antsPhlebodium aureum, Polypodium aureum, golden polypody, rabbit's-foot fern, serpent ferntropical American fern with brown scaly rhizomes cultivated for its large deeply lobed deep bluish-green fronds; sometimes placed in genus Polypodiumstaghorn fernany of various tropical ferns of the genus Platycerium having large flat lobed fronds often resembling the antlers of a stagCyclophorus lingua, Pyrrosia lingua, felt fern, tongue ferneast Asian fern having fronds shaped like tongues; sometimes placed in genus CyclophorusSolanopteris bifrons, potato fernsmall epiphytic fern of South America with tuberous swellings along rhizomesVittaria lineata, grass fern, ribbon fernepiphytic fern found in lowland forests of tropical Americaspleenwortany of various chiefly rock-inhabiting ferns of the genus AspleniumAsplenium nidus, bird's nest ferntropical Old World or Australian epiphytic fern frequently forming tufts in tree crotchesAsplenium scolopendrium, Phyllitis scolopendrium, hart's-tongue, hart's-tongue fernEurasian fern with simple lanceolate frondsAsplenium ceterach, Ceterach officinarum, scale fern, scaly fernsmall European fern with chaffy leathery frondsscolopendriuma fern thought to resemble a millipedehard fernany of several ferns of the genus Blechnumchain ferna fern of the genus Woodwardia having the sori in chainlike rowstree fernany 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 Polypodiaceaedavalliaany fern of the genus Davallia; having scaly creeping rhizomesDennstaedtia punctilobula, boulder fern, hay-scented, hay-scented fern, scented fernfern of eastern North America with pale green fronds and an aroma like hayPteridium aquilinum, bracken, brake, pasture brakelarge coarse fern often several feet high; essentially weed ferns; cosmopolitanbuckler fern, shield fernany of various ferns of the genera Dryopteris or Polystichum or Lastreopsis having somewhat shield-shaped coverings on the soriAthyrium filix-femina, lady fernmost widely grown fern of the genus Athyrium for its delicate foliageAthyrium pycnocarpon, Diplazium pycnocarpon, glade fern, narrow-leaved spleenwort, silvery spleenwortNorth American fern with narrow fronds on yellowish leafstalksCyrtomium aculeatum, Polystichum aculeatum, holly ferntropical Old World fern having glossy fronds suggestive of holly; sometimes placed in genus Polystichumbladder fernany fern of the genus Cystopteris characterized by a hooded indusium or bladderlike membrane covering the soriAthyrium thelypteroides, Deparia acrostichoides, silvery spleenwortfern with elongate silvery outgrowths enclosing the developing sporesGymnocarpium dryopteris, Thelypteris dryopteris, oak fernbright blue-green fern widely distributed especially in damp acid woodlands of temperate northern hemisphereGymnocarpium robertianum, limestone fern, northern oak fernyellow-green fern of rocky areas of northern hemisphereMatteuccia struthiopteris, Onoclea struthiopteris, Pteretis struthiopteris, fiddlehead, ostrich fern, shuttlecock ferntall fern of northern temperate regions having graceful arched fronds and sporophylls resembling ostrich plumesOlfersia cervina, Polybotria cervina, Polybotrya cervina, hart's-tongue, hart's-tongue ferntropical American terrestrial fern with leathery lanceolate fronds; sometimes placed in genus PolybotryaOnoclea sensibilis, bead fern, sensitive fernbeautiful 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 lobesChristmas fern, Polystichum acrostichoides, canker brake, dagger fern, evergreen wood fernNorth American evergreen fern having pinnate leaves and dense clusters of lance-shaped frondsholly fernany of various ferns of the genus Polystichum having fronds with texture and gloss like hollyPolystichum adiantiformis, Rumohra adiantiformis, leather fern, leatherleaf fern, ten-day fernwidely distributed fern of tropical southern hemisphere having leathery pinnatifid frondswoodsiaany fern of the genus WoodsiaOleandra mollis, Oleandra neriiformis, oleander ferntropical fern having leathery fronds resembling oleander; found from Asia to Polynesiasword fernany of several tropical ferns having more or less sword-shaped fronds including one from which the Boston fern developedAcrostichum aureum, golden fern, leather fernstout tropical swamp fern (especially tropical America) having large fronds with golden yellow sporangia covering the undersidesmaidenhair, maidenhair fernany of various small to large terrestrial ferns of the genus Adiantum having delicate palmately branched frondslip fern, lipfernany of various terrestrial ferns of the genus Cheilanthes; cosmopolitan in arid and semiarid temperate or tropical regionsConiogramme japonica, bamboo fernfast-growing sturdy Japanese fern; cultivated for their attractive broad dark-green pinnate frondsrock brakedwarf deciduous lithophytic fernscliff brake, cliff-brake, rock brakeany of several small lithophytic ferns of tropical and warm temperate regionsPellaea rotundifolia, button fernfern of New Zealand and Australia having trailing fronds with dark green buttonlike leafletsPityrogramma argentea, silver fernfern of southern tropical Africa having fronds with white undersidesPityrogramma calomelanos aureoflava, golden ferntropical American fern having fronds with light golden undersidesPityrogramma chrysophylla, gold fernfern of West Indies and South America having fronds with bright golden-yellow undersidesbrakeany of various ferns of the genus Pteris having pinnately compound leaves and including several popular houseplantsPteris creticacultivated in many varieties as houseplantsMarattia salicina, potato fernlarge Australasian evergreen fern with an edible rhizome sometimes used as a vegetable by indigenous peopleDryopteris thelypteris, Thelypteris palustris, marsh fernfern having pinnatifid fronds and growing in wet places; cosmopolitan in north temperate regionschristellaany of several tropical ferns of the genus Christella having thin brittle frondsDryopteris oreopteris, Oreopteris limbosperma, mountain ferncommon European mountain fern having fragrant lemon or balsam scented frondsDryopteris noveboracensis, New York fern, Parathelypteris novae-boracensisslender shield fern of moist woods of eastern North America; sometimes placed in genus DryopterisMassachusetts fern, Parathelypteris simulata, Thelypteris simulatadelicate feathery shield fern of the eastern United States; sometimes placed in genus Thelypterisbeech fernany fern of the genus Phegopteris having deeply cut triangular frondsFrench bracken, Osmunda regalis, ditch fern, king fern, royal fern, royal osmundlarge deeply rooted fern of worldwide distribution with upright bipinnate compound tufted frondsOsmunda clatonia, interrupted fernNorth American fern having tall erect pinnate fronds and a few sporogenous pinnae at or near the center of the fertile frondsOsmunda cinnamonea, cinnamon fern, fiddlehead, fiddlehead fernNew World fern having woolly cinnamon-colored spore-bearing fronds in early spring later surrounded by green fronds; the early uncurling fronds are edibleHartford fern, Lygodium palmatum, creeping ferndelicate fern of the eastern United States having a twining stem and palmately-lobed sterile fronds and forked fertile frondsLygodium microphyllum, climbing maidenhair, climbing maidenhair fern, snake ferntropical fern widespread in Old World; naturalized in Jamaica and FloridaPilularia globulifera, pillwortEuropean water fern found around margins of bodies of water or in wet acid soil having small globose sporocarpsAzolla caroliniana, Carolina pond fern, floating fern, mosquito fernsmall free-floating aquatic fern from the eastern United States to tropical America; naturalized in western and southern EuropeOphioglossum pendulum, ribbon fernepiphytic fern with straplike usually twisted fronds of tropical Asia and Polynesia and AmericaBotrychium matricariifolium, daisy-leaved grape fern, daisyleaf grape fernof North America and EurasiaBotrychium virginianum, rattlesnake fernAmerican fern whose clustered sporangia resemble a snake's rattleCeratopteris pteridioides, floating fern, water spriteaquatic fern of tropical America often used in aquariumsPolypodium polypodioides, gray polypody, grey polypody, resurrection fernfern growing on rocks or tree trunks and having fronds greyish and scurfy below; Americas and South AfricaPolypodium scouleri, coast polypody, leatherleaf, leathery polypodystiff leathery-leaved fern of western North America having ovate fronds parted to the midribAmerican wall fern, Polypodium virgianum, rock brake, rock polypodychiefly lithophytic or epiphytic fern of North America and east AsiaPolypodium vulgare, adder's fern, common polypody, golden maidenhair, golden polypody, sweet fern, wall fernmat-forming lithophytic or terrestrial fern with creeping rootstocks and large pinnatifid fronds found throughout North America and Europe and Africa and east AsiaFlorida strap fern, cow-tongue fern, hart's-tongue ferncommon epiphytic or sometimes terrestrial fern having pale yellow-green strap-shaped leaves; Florida to West Indies and Mexico and south to UruguayCampyloneurum augustifolium, Central American strap fern, narrow-leaved strap fernfern with shorter and narrower leaves than Florida strap fern; Florida to West Indies and Mexico and south to ArgentinaPlatycerium alcicorne, Platycerium bifurcatum, common staghorn fern, elkhorn ferncommonly cultivated fern of Australia and southeastern Asia and PolynesiaAsplenium adiantum-nigrum, black spleenwortspleenwort of Europe and Africa and Asia having pinnate fronds and yielding an astringentAsplenium platyneuron, Scott's Spleenwort, ebony spleenwortcommon North American fern with polished black stripesblack-stem spleenwort, black-stemmed spleenwort, little ebony spleenwortfern of tropical America: from southern United States to West Indies and Mexico to BrazilAsplenium rhizophyllum, Camptosorus rhizophyllus, walking fern, walking leafferns having lanceolate fronds that root at the tipAsplenium trichomanes, maidenhair spleenwortsmall rock-inhabiting fern of northern temperate zone and Hawaii with pinnate frondsAsplenium viride, green spleenworta small fern with slim green fronds; widely distributed in cool parts of northern hemisphereAsplenium ruta-muraria, wall rue, wall rue spleenwortsmall delicate spleenwort found on a steep slope (as a wall or cliff) of Eurasia and North AmericaBlechnum spicant, deer fernfern with erect fronds of Europe and western North America; often cultivated for deer browseCyathea medullaris, black tree fern, sago fern, silver tree ferna showy tree fern of New Zealand and Australia having a crown of pinnated fronds with whitish undersideshare's-foot ferneither of two ferns of the genus Davallia having a soft grey hairy rootstockDavalia bullata, Davalia bullata mariesii, Davallia Mariesii, ball fern, squirrel's-foot fernfeathery fern of tropical Asia and MalaysiaDicksonia antarctica, soft tree fernof Australia and Tasmania; often cultivated; hardy in cool climatesCibotium barometz, Scythian lambAsiatic tree fern having dense matted hairs sometimes used as a stypticDryopteris fragrans, fragrant cliff fern, fragrant shield fern, fragrant wood fernfern or northern Eurasia and North America having fragrant frondsDryopteris goldiana, Goldie's fern, Goldie's shield fern, goldie's wood fernNorth American fern with a blackish lustrous stipeDryopteris filix-mas, male fernfern of North America and Europe whose rhizomes and stalks yield an oleoresin used to expel tapewormsDryopteris marginalis, evergreen wood fern, leatherleaf wood fern, marginal wood fernNorth American fern with evergreen frondsAlpine lady fern, Athyrium distentifoliuma lady fern with deeply cut leaf segments; found in the Rocky MountainsCystopteris fragilis, brittle bladder fern, brittle fern, fragile ferndelicate fern widely distributed in North America and European having thin pinnatifid fronds with brittle stemsCystopteris bulbifera, berry fern, bulblet bladder fern, bulblet fernNorth American fern often bearing bulbils on the leafletsBraun's holly fern, Polystichum braunii, prickly shield fernNorth American fern whose more or less evergreen leathery fronds are covered with pale brown chafflike scalesWoodsia ilvensis, fragrant woodsia, oblong woodsia, rusty woodsiaa common rock-inhabiting fern of northern temperate regions having rusty-brown stipes and lanceolate pinnate frondsAlpine woodsia, Woodsia alpina, flower-cup fern, northern woodsiaslender fern of northern North America with shining chestnut-colored stipes and bipinnate fronds with usually distinct marginal soriWoodsia glabella, smooth woodsiarock-inhabiting fern of Arctic and subarctic Europe to eastern AsiaBoston fern, Nephrolepis exaltata, Nephrolepis exaltata bostoniensisa sword fern with arching or drooping pinnate fronds; a popular houseplantNephrolepis pectinata, basket fern, toothed sword ferntropical American fern cultivated for its finely divided greyish-green foliage; West Indies and southern Mexico to Peru and BrazilAdiantum capillus-veneris, Venus maidenhair, Venus'-hair fern, Venushair, common maidenhair, southern maidenhairdelicate maidenhair fern with slender shining black leaf stalks; cosmopolitanAdiantum pedatum, American maidenhair fern, five-fingered maidenhair fernhardy palmately branched North American fern with divergent recurved branches borne on lustrous dark reddish stipesAdiantum bellum, Bermuda maidenhair, Bermuda maidenhair ferndelicate endemic Bermudian fern with creeping rootstockAdiantum tenerum, brittle maidenhair, brittle maidenhair ferntropical American fern with broad pinnae; widely cultivatedAlabama lip fern, Cheilanthes alabamensis, smooth lip fernsoutheastern United States to northern Mexico and JamaicaCheilanthes lanosa, hairy lip fern, wooly lip fernsmall North American evergreen fern whose stipes and lower frond surfaces are densely woolyCheilanthes eatonii, southwestern lip fernlip fern of Texas to Oklahoma and Colorado and Arizona and Mexico having tall erect tufted frondsAmerican parsley fern, American rock brake, Cryptogramma acrostichoidesrock-inhabiting fern of northern North America growing in massive tufts and having fronds resembling parsleyCryptogramma crispa, European parsley fern, mountain parsley fernfern of Europe and Asia Minor having short slender rhizome and densely tufted bright green fronds resembling parsleyPellaea atropurpurea, purple rock brakevery short shallowly creeping North American fern usually growing on cliffs or walls and having dark glossy leaf axesPellaea mucronata, Pellaea ornithopus, bird's-foot ferncliff brake of California and Baja California having purple-brown leafstalksAngiopteris evecta, angiopteris, giant fernhighly variable species of very large primitive ferns of the Pacific tropical areas with high rainfallDryopteris thelypteris pubescens, Thelypteris palustris pubescens, meadow fern, snuffbox fernfern of northeastern North AmericaDryopteris hexagonoptera, Phegopteris hexagonoptera, Thelypteris hexagonoptera, broad beech fern, southern beech fernbeech fern of North American woodlands having straw-colored stripesDryopteris phegopteris, Phegopteris connectilis, Thelypteris phegopteris, long beech fern, narrow beech fern, northern beech fernbeech fern of North America and Eurasiatype of:
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