Skip to main content
Prince-of-Wales plume

Prince-of-Wales plume

9.9
A New Zealand fern with divided leaves and hairy stems
  • noun
  • New Zealand
translation icon : pluma del Príncipe de Gales
  • The Prince-of-Wales plume thrives in the moist forests of New Zealand.

Examples

  • Researchers studied the woolly stalks of the Prince-of-Wales plume to better understand its classification.

  • Gardeners value the Prince-of-Wales plume for its distinctive pinnate fronds.

  • The Prince-of-Wales plume is a beautiful fern native to New Zealand.

  • Have you seen the Prince-of-Wales plumes in the garden?

  • The Prince-of-Wales plume is well-known for its attractive pinnate fronds and woolly stalks.

  • In botanical gardens, the Prince-of-Wales plume draws visitors with its unique appearance.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the Prince-of-Wales plume for its easy care and lush foliage.

Synonyms

Todea superba
vsPrince-of-Wales plume
  • Specialized
9.9

A large fern from New Zealand with feathery leaves and woolly stems

is the common informal name rather than the formal scientific label
Leptopteris superba
vsPrince-of-Wales plume
  • Specialized
9.9

A fern from New Zealand with divided leaves and woolly stems

uses the common nontechnical name instead of scientific genus placement
Prince-of-Wales fern
vsPrince-of-Wales plume
  • New Zealand
9.9

A fern from New Zealand with feathery leaves and a hairy stalk

is a more descriptive common variant that highlights the plant's look
Prince-of-Wales feather
vsPrince-of-Wales plume
  • New Zealand
9.9

A New Zealand fern with divided leaves and very hairy stalks

is a different common wording with a slightly more traditional tone
crape fern
vsPrince-of-Wales plume
  • New Zealand
9.9

A fern from New Zealand with divided leaves and very woolly stalks

is the more specific traditional name tied to the plant's appearance

Surface Forms

Morphology

Prince-of-Wales + plume

The noun 'plume' gives a clear shape-based clue (feather-like), so a learner who knows 'plume' might infer something about the object's appearance. However, 'Prince-of-Wales' is a proper-name modifier that does not indicate that the referent is a fern or plant species, so the full botanical meaning is not predictable from the parts alone.

Etymology

Prince-of-Wales plume may come from how the fern's leaves look like a large feather or plume a prince would wear. Because the feathery leaves and woolly stalks look like that decoration, the name came to mean this New Zealand 'fern'.