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Glite Dictionary
Pteridium aquilinum

Pteridium aquilinum

9.9
A large wild fern with many fronds that grows in groups and spreads quickly
  • noun
  • /ˈtɛrɪdɪəm əˈkwɪlɪnəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Pteridium aquilinum
  • You can frequently find Pteridium aquilinum growing along woodland edges throughout Europe and North America.

Examples

  • The rapid spread of Pteridium aquilinum can present a challenge for farmers and land managers.

  • Many animals avoid Pteridium aquilinum because it contains toxic compounds that can be harmful if ingested.

  • The Pteridium aquilinum thrives in shaded areas.

  • Many gardeners consider Pteridium aquilinum a nuisance.

  • You can frequently find Pteridium aquilinum growing along woodland edges throughout Europe and North America.

  • The rapid spread of Pteridium aquilinum can present a challenge for farmers and land managers.

  • Many gardeners consider Pteridium aquilinum a nuisance due to its invasive nature.

Synonyms

bracken
vsPteridium aquilinum
2 8.1

A large coarse fern that grows in woods or open land

refers to the same fern but emphasises worldwide temperate and tropical presence
brake
vsPteridium aquilinum
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A large fern plant with many leaves that grows close to the ground

refers specifically to the plant rather than to overgrown land areas
pasture brake
vsPteridium aquilinum
  • UK
9.9

A large rough fern that grows in fields and looks like a weed

is the general fern found beyond pastures and not only considered a weed

Surface Forms

Pteridium aquilinum singular
Pteridia aquilina plural

Morphology

Pteridium + aquilinum

This is a scientific binomial: knowing 'Pteridium' (a genus of bracken ferns) lets a learner infer the phrase names a type of fern, so part of the meaning is transparent. However, the species epithet 'aquilinum' is Latin and not semantically transparent to a typical B1 learner (and its dictionary definition is missing here), so the specific attributes of the plant are not derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Pteridium aquilinum may come from old Greek and Latin words: Pteridium meaning 'feather' and aquilinum meaning 'eagle'. Its long, feather-like leaves spread wide like an eagle's wing, so this image helps you remember it as the large bracken fern found in many places.