Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
curly grass

curly grass

9.9
A small fern with thin curly leaves that grow in tight groups
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : helecho rizado
  • Because of its spiraling fronds, curly grass is easily distinguished from other ferns.

Examples

  • Botanists were excited to find curly grass thriving in the cool, moist soil of the region.

  • The wetland was dotted with curly grass growing in small, dense clusters.

  • I found some curly grass in the garden.

  • The curly grass thrives in moist, shaded areas.

  • Because of its spiraling fronds, curly grass is easily distinguished from other ferns.

  • Botanists were excited to find curly grass thriving in the cool, moist soil of the region.

  • The wetland was dotted with curly grass growing in small, dense clusters.

Synonyms

curly grass fern
vscurly grass
  • US
9.9

A rare small fern with thin curled leaves that grows in thick clumps on the ground

is the shorter traditional name omitting the plant type
Schizaea pusilla
vscurly grass
  • Specialized
9.9

A rare small fern with thin spiral leaves that grows in dense clumps in northeastern North America

acts as the everyday common name rather than a scientific label

Surface Forms

curly grass singular
curly grasses plural

Morphology

curly + grass

The meaning is compositionally approachable—'curly' + 'grass' will lead a B1 learner who knows both words to expect a plant (grass-like) with curled or spiraling leaves, so the basic idea is inferable. However, the lexicalized meaning refers to a specific small fern (not a true grass), a taxonomic/detail that cannot be predicted from the constituents, so full understanding requires exposure.

Etymology

Curly grass got its name because its many small, spiral leaves look like tiny, curly grass, so early observers called it that. That's why today curly grass means a small 'fern' with many spiral leaves growing in tight clumps.