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Adiantum pedatum

Adiantum pedatum

9.9
A hardy North American fern with shiny dark stalks and fan shaped leaves that grows in cool shade
  • noun
  • /ˌeɪdiˈæntəm pɪˈdeɪtəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Adiantum pedatum
  • Botanists admire Adiantum pedatum for its delicate, fan-shaped fronds and elegant growth habit.

Examples

  • The Adiantum pedatum in our garden flourished in the cool, shady spot near the pond.

  • The Adiantum pedatum thrives in moist, shaded areas.

  • In the wild, Adiantum pedatum often grows beneath moist woodland canopies.

  • I saw an Adiantum pedatum in the botanical garden.

  • Gardeners often choose Adiantum pedatum for its ornamental beauty and lush green foliage.

  • In spring, Adiantum pedatum produces new fronds that unfurl gracefully in the shade.

  • The Adiantum pedatum is prized for its ability to thrive in rich, shaded forest floors.

Synonyms

American maidenhair fern
vsAdiantum pedatum
  • US
9.9

A North American fern with leaves like a fan that curve back and shiny dark red stems

is the simpler species description without the extra divergent detail
five-fingered maidenhair fern
vsAdiantum pedatum
  • US
9.9

A North American plant with shiny dark red stems and leaves shaped like five fingers

is the more complete description mentioning stalks and branching details

Surface Forms

Adiantum pedatum singular
Adiantum pedata singular

Morphology

Adiantum + pedatum

This is a Latin botanical binomial (genus + species epithet). While a learner who knows 'Adiantum' might infer it refers to a fern genus, the specific epithet 'pedatum' is a Latin morphological term (not a common English word and absent from the provided dictionary entry), so the precise species meaning ('northern maidenhair fern') cannot be derived by a B1 learner from the constituents alone.

Etymology

Adiantum pedatum comes from Greek and Latin words: Adiantum means 'unwetted' because the shiny fern leaves seem to shed water, and pedatum means 'foot' because the fronds spread out like a fan or a bird's foot. So the name fits this northern maidenhair fern with its shiny, fan-shaped leaves.