Alpine lady fern
- noun
- US
:
helecho dama alpino
- The Alpine lady fern thrives in the cool, shaded forests of the Rocky Mountains.
Examples
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We spotted several Alpine lady ferns growing alongside the mountain stream.
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Gardeners often plant the Alpine lady fern for its delicate, feathery appearance.
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The Alpine lady fern thrives in cool, moist environments.
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Have you seen the Alpine lady fern in the garden?
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The Alpine lady fern is often found in rocky, mountainous areas where it flourishes in the shade.
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In spring, the Alpine lady fern produces vibrant green fronds that add beauty to its natural habitat.
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Many hikers enjoy seeing the Alpine lady fern as they traverse the trails of the Rocky Mountains.
Synonyms
A fern with many divided, feathery leaves that grows in cold mountain areas
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase denotes a type of fern found in alpine (high-mountain) areas; the meaning follows directly from combining 'alpine' (mountainous) with 'lady fern' (a named kind of fern). Even if 'lady fern' is a conventional species name where 'lady' does not refer to a human, a B1 learner who knows 'alpine' and 'fern' can readily infer this is a fern occurring in mountain regions, so the construction is compositionally transparent.
Etymology
Alpine lady fern comes from two parts: alpine, meaning 'from the high mountains', and lady fern, a name for ferns with soft, feathery leaves seen as 'graceful'. So the name tells you it is a delicate, feathery fern that grows in mountain areas.
