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Glite Dictionary
Cheilanthes alabamensis

Cheilanthes alabamensis

9.9
A small fern that grows on dry rocky places in the southeastern United States, Mexico, and Jamaica
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Cheilanthes alabamensis
  • Cheilanthes alabamensis is commonly found growing in dry, rocky areas of the southeastern United States.

Examples

  • Botanists identified the rare Cheilanthes alabamensis in the limestone outcrops of the region.

  • The shaded rock ledges were covered with Cheilanthes alabamensis.

  • Cheilanthes alabamensis is well adapted to dry, rocky habitats in the southeast.

  • The Cheilanthes alabamensis thrives in rocky, well-drained soils.

  • Have you ever seen a Cheilanthes alabamensis in the wild?

  • In the forest, the rare Cheilanthes alabamensis often thrives on shaded ledges among the stones.

  • The Cheilanthes alabamensis fern is recognized for its ability to adapt to arid environments.

Synonyms

smooth lip fern
vsCheilanthes alabamensis
  • Specialized
8.5

A small green plant with smooth edges on its leaves that grows in shady rocky places

is the same species but not defined by smooth frond edges
Alabama lip fern
vsCheilanthes alabamensis
  • US
9.9

A small fern with narrow leaves that grows in dry, shaded places in the southeastern United States

is the same species but not characterized by narrow fronds

Surface Forms

Cheilanthes alabamensis singular
Cheilanthes alabamensis plural

Morphology

Cheilanthes + alabamensis

This is a standard scientific binomial: 'Cheilanthes' names the genus (a type of fern) and 'alabamensis' is a Latin adjectival epithet signaling origin from Alabama, so the compound literally denotes a Cheilanthes species associated with Alabama. Although the specific epithet is uncommon in everyday English, the formation is regular in biological names (‑ensis = from/of), so a learner who knows the constituents can derive the meaning.

Etymology

Cheilanthes alabamensis comes from old Greek and a place name. Cheilanthes refers to a 'lip' because the fern has a lip-like edge that covers its tiny spores, and alabamensis means 'from Alabama', so the name says it is the 'lip' fern from Alabama and nearby areas.