climbing bird's nest fern

9.9

A fern that climbs trees and has broad leaves that look like a bird's nest

noun

Australian

: helecho nido de ave

I spotted a climbing bird's nest fern growing up the trunk of a large tree.

Examples

Many gardeners prize the climbing bird's nest fern for its unusual appearance and foliage.
The climbing bird's nest fern thrives in the humid forests of Polynesia.
The climbing bird's nest fern thrives in humid environments.
Have you seen a climbing bird's nest fern in the wild?
I spotted a climbing bird's nest fern growing up the trunk of a large tree.
Many gardeners prize the climbing bird's nest fern for its unusual appearance and foliage.
The climbing bird's nest fern thrives in the humid forests of Polynesia.

Synonyms

bird's nest fern

vsclimbing bird's nest fern

Specialized

8.8

A tropical fern with long curved leaves that form a round nest in tree forks

is the variety noted for climbing growth habit and wider native regional spread

Asplenium nidus

vsclimbing bird's nest fern

Australian

9.9

A fern with large, round leaves that grows on trees in tropical places

is instead the climbing form known from diverse tropical regions

Surface Forms

climbing bird's nest fern singular

climbing bird's nest ferns plural

Morphology

climb + bird's + nest + fern

This is a transparently compositional noun phrase: 'climbing' describes the plant's habit, 'bird's nest' characterizes its nest-like rosette of fronds, and 'fern' names the plant type, so together they denote a fern with nest-like fronds that climbs. A B1 learner who knows the constituent words and basic noun-modifier patterns in English can derive this meaning without prior exposure.

Etymology

Climbing bird's nest fern comes from two simple images: its leaves form a cup that looks like a bird's nest, which is the bird's nest part, and the plant often grows up the trunk of a tree, which is the climbing part. So the name helps you picture a fern that 'looks like a nest' and 'climbs' trees.