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Glite Dictionary
leathery polypody

leathery polypody

9.9
A stiff fern with thick leaves split near the middle that grows on dry rocky ground in western North America
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : polipodio coriáceo
  • Hikers often spot leathery polypody along woodland trails in California.

Examples

  • This species, known as leathery polypody, easily withstands dry and rocky environments.

  • I bought a leathery polypody for my garden.

  • The rugged hillsides were dotted with clusters of leathery polypody thriving in the shade.

  • The leathery polypody thrives in shaded areas.

  • Hikers often spot leathery polypody along woodland trails in California.

  • The rugged hillsides were dotted with clusters of leathery polypody thriving in the shade.

  • This species, known as leathery polypody, easily withstands dry and rocky environments.

Synonyms

Polypodium scouleri
vsleathery polypody
  • Specialized
9.9

A tough fern with stiff leathery leaves that grows on rocks by the sea

is the common descriptive phrase rather than the formal scientific name
coast polypody
vsleathery polypody
  • Specialized
9.9

A fern with stiff leathery leaves that grows on rocky coasts

is the general descriptive phrase rather than this coastal name
leatherleaf
vsleathery polypody
  • US
9.9

A fern with thick tough leaves and divided fronds that grows in western North American forests

is the fuller botanical description rather than the brief colloquial name

Surface Forms

leathery polypody singular
leathery polypodies plural

Morphology

leathery + polypody

This is a straightforward adjectival composition: 'leathery' simply describes the texture of the 'polypody' (a type of fern), so the meaning 'a polypody with leathery leaves' is directly derivable from the constituents. There is no metaphorical or idiomatic shift, and the modifier+noun pattern is cross-linguistically common, making it immediately comprehensible to learners who know both words.

Etymology

Leathery polypody comes from its tough, thick leaves, called leathery, and from polypody, a name for a kind of fern. So the name gives a simple picture of a stiff, hard-leaved fern that can live on dry, rocky hillsides.