asplenium

asplenium [æˈspliːnɪəm]

n

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Botany) any fern of the very large genus Asplenium, of worldwide distribution. Some, esp the bird's nest fern (A. nidus), are grown as greenhouse or house plants for their decorative evergreen fronds: family Polypodiaceae See also spleenwort

[New Latin, from Latin asplēnum, from Greek asplēnon spleenwort, from a- not + splēn spleen (from its reputed medicinal properties)]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

Asplenium - in some classification systems placed in family Polypodiaceae genus Asplenium fern genus - genera of ferns and fern allies Aspleniaceae, family Aspleniaceae - one of a number of families into which Polypodiaceae has been subdivided in some classification systems; includes genera Asplenium, Pleurosorus, Schaffneria 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