Bermuda maidenhair fern

9.0

A small, delicate fern from Bermuda with thin leaves and stems that spread along the ground

noun

: helecho maidenhair de Bermudas

The Bermuda maidenhair fern thrives in the shaded limestone crevices of the island.

Examples

She photographed the delicate fronds of the Bermuda maidenhair fern during her hike.
Conservationists are working to protect the rare Bermuda maidenhair fern from habitat loss.
Look at this beautiful Bermuda maidenhair fern I found!
The Bermuda maidenhair fern thrives in humid environments.
Conservationists are working to protect the rare Bermuda maidenhair fern from habitat loss.
She photographed the delicate fronds of the Bermuda maidenhair fern during her hike.
The Bermuda maidenhair fern thrives in the shaded limestone crevices of the island.

Synonyms

Adiantum bellum

vsBermuda maidenhair fern

Specialized

9.9

A delicate fern with feathery leaves and spreading roots that grows only in Bermuda

focuses more on delicate fine fronds as a defining feature

Bermuda maidenhair

vsBermuda maidenhair fern

9.8

A delicate fern from Bermuda that grows from creeping roots in shady moist places

emphasizes species status and the fine fronds beyond that general description

Surface Forms

Bermuda maidenhair fern singular

Bermuda maidenhair ferns plural

Morphology

Bermuda + maidenhair + fern

The phrase is a straightforward nominal composition: 'Bermuda' (place) modifies 'maidenhair fern' (a type of fern), so a learner who knows the constituents will understand it denotes a maidenhair fern from Bermuda. This place + species pattern is common and transparent cross-linguistically, making the meaning predictable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Bermuda maidenhair fern gets its name from the island Bermuda and from the fine-leaved maidenhair fern, because its very thin, soft fronds 'look like hair'. So the name simply points to the small, delicate fern that grows in Bermuda today.