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Pteris multifida

Pteris multifida

9.9
A fern from Asia often grown in gardens and sometimes found growing wild in North America
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Pteris multifida
  • Many gardeners appreciate Pteris multifida for its delicate, finely divided fronds.

Examples

  • The garden center had several pots of Pteris multifida on display for houseplant enthusiasts.

  • After being introduced to new environments, Pteris multifida has naturalized in some parts of America.

  • The Pteris multifida thrives in shady areas.

  • I bought a Pteris multifida for my garden.

  • Many gardeners appreciate Pteris multifida for its attractive, finely divided fronds.

  • The garden center featured vibrant pots of Pteris multifida, perfect for adding greenery indoors.

  • In coastal areas, Pteris multifida can thrive, creating lush, ornamental displays in gardens.

Synonyms

spider brake
vsPteris multifida
  • US
9.9

A fern with delicate divided leaves often grown in shady gardens

is used mainly as an ornamental and may become naturalized in North America

Surface Forms

Morphology

Pteris + multifida

This is a Linnaean binomial: 'Pteris' explicitly identifies a fern genus, so a learner who knows that constituent can infer the phrase denotes a species of fern. However 'multifida' is a Latin epithet (not attested in the learner dictionary here) whose precise descriptive sense ('many‑divided') is not transparently accessible to a B1 learner, so the full meaning is only partially recoverable.

Etymology

Pteris multifida comes from old Greek and Latin words: Pteris means 'feather' and multifida means 'many parts'. The picture of a 'feather' with 'many parts' helps explain the fern's many thin, divided leaves, so the name describes the plant today.