Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Cyrtomium aculeatum

Cyrtomium aculeatum

9.9
A tropical fern with shiny leaves like holly that grows in damp, shaded woods and gardens
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Cyrtomium aculeatum
  • The shiny fronds of Cyrtomium aculeatum make it a popular choice for shaded gardens.

Examples

  • In its native habitat, Cyrtomium aculeatum thrives in damp, wooded areas.

  • Botanists sometimes place Cyrtomium aculeatum within the genus Polystichum.

  • The Cyrtomium aculeatum thrives in humid environments.

  • I bought a Cyrtomium aculeatum for my garden.

  • In its native habitat, Cyrtomium aculeatum thrives in damp, wooded areas.

  • The shiny fronds of Cyrtomium aculeatum make it a popular choice for shaded gardens.

  • I bought a Cyrtomium aculeatum for my garden.

Synonyms

Polystichum aculeatum
vsCyrtomium aculeatum
  • Specialized
9.9

A fern with shiny, sharp-pointed leaves like holly that grows in shady, moist places

is limited to tropical Old World habitats rather than temperate areas

Surface Forms

Cyrtomium aculeatum singular
Cyrtomium aculeatums plural

Morphology

Cyrtomium + aculeatum

This is a Latin scientific binomial (genus + specific epithet) used as a taxonomic name rather than a compositional English phrase; knowing 'Cyrtomium' as a genus and an undefined form 'aculeatum' would not allow a B1 learner to derive the descriptive meaning. The specific epithet is Latin and not provided in the dictionary, and the whole functions as a proper name, so its semantic content is not transparently recoverable from the parts for average learners.

Etymology

Cyrtomium aculeatum gets its name from old words that mean 'rounded' and 'spiny'; Cyrtomium means 'rounded' and aculeatum means 'spiny'. The name fits because the fern has shiny, holly-like leaves with small points, so the words help you remember the plant.