Dryopteris dilatata

9.9

A large fern with broad, arching leaves that grows in shady European woods

noun

: Dryopteris dilatata

In the damp corners of the garden, the Dryopteris dilatata thrived, its fronds arching gracefully.

Examples

Botanists often recommend Dryopteris dilatata for shady woodland gardens due to its hardiness.
The lush foliage of Dryopteris dilatata attracts many nature enthusiasts to European forests.
The Dryopteris dilatata thrives in shaded areas.
I found a Dryopteris dilatata in my garden.
Many gardeners prefer Dryopteris dilatata for its ability to flourish in shaded areas of their yards.
The vibrant green fronds of Dryopteris dilatata make it a popular choice for creating lush ground cover.
In native European woodlands, Dryopteris dilatata can often be seen growing in dense clusters.

Surface Forms

Dryopteris dilatata singular

Dryopteris dilatatas plural

Morphology

Dryopteris + dilatata

This is a scientific Latin binomial (genus + specific epithet) used as a taxonomic name, so the phrase functions as an identifier rather than a compositional English phrase. Even if a learner recognized 'Dryopteris' as a plant genus, the species epithet 'dilatata' is not an English word and the specific descriptive meaning (a particular shield fern with large, spreading fronds) requires specialist knowledge, making it opaque to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Dryopteris dilatata comes from old Greek and Latin words: Dryopteris joins dry- ('oak') and -pteris ('fern'), and dilatata means 'spread out' or 'wide'. So the name paints a picture of an 'oak' fern with large, spreading leaves, which helps you remember this species.