adder's tongue fern

9.9

A fern with a thin spike that looks like a snake's tongue

noun
/ˈædərz tʌŋ fɜrn/

: helecho lengua de víbora

The adder's tongue fern can be recognized by its unique spike that resembles a snake's tongue.

Examples

The adder's tongue fern can be found growing in moist meadows and woodlands.
The adder's tongue fern thrives in moist, shaded areas.
Botanists were excited to discover an unusually large specimen of adder's tongue fern in the field.
She uses illustrations of the adder's tongue fern in her botanical journal.
I discovered an adder's tongue fern in the forest.
In spring, the adder's tongue fern emerges with vibrant green fronds in the forest.
Gardeners appreciate the adder's tongue fern for its distinctive appearance and low maintenance.

Synonyms

adder's tongue

vsadder's tongue fern

9.9

A small fern with one leaf and a thin spore spike like a snake's tongue

focuses on membership in a particular genus rather than the single leaf detail

Ophioglossum

vsadder's tongue fern

Specialized

9.9

A group of ferns called adder's-tongues with simple leaves and spore stalks

refers to one species within the genus rather than the entire genus

Surface Forms

adder's tongue fern singular

adder's tongue ferns plural

Morphology

adder's + tongue + fern

The phrase is a descriptive compound: 'adder's tongue' (i.e. a tongue-like part resembling a snake's tongue) modifies 'fern', so the overall meaning — a fern with a tongue‑like fertile spike — is directly derivable from the constituents. This kind of possessive + noun plant name follows ordinary compositional naming patterns and is cross-linguistically transparent, so a learner who knows the parts would understand it.

Etymology

Adder's tongue fern gets its name from a narrow, upright spike on its leaf that looks like a snake's tongue, so adder's (an old word for 'snake') and tongue describe its shape. That's why the name refers to this kind of fern and helps you picture the plant.