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Glite Dictionary
ball fern

ball fern

8.8
A small plant with delicate feathery leaves from tropical Asia often grown in shaded gardens
  • noun
  • Indian
translation icon : helecho bola
  • The ball fern thrives in humid, shaded forests throughout Malaysia.

Examples

  • Gardeners often choose the ball fern for its delicate, attractive foliage.

  • I saw a beautiful ball fern at the botanical garden.

  • Several species of ball fern are popular in Asian ornamental gardening.

  • The ball fern thrives in humid environments.

  • Gardeners often choose the ball fern for its delicate, attractive foliage.

  • The ball fern thrives in humid, shaded forests throughout Malaysia.

  • Several species of ball fern are popular in Asian ornamental gardening.

Synonyms

Davallia bullata mariesii
vsball fern
  • Specialized
9.9

A feathery fern with delicate divided leaves that grows in tropical Asia

is the general native feathery plant without that ornamental emphasis
Davalia bullata
vsball fern
  • Specialized
9.9

A feathery fern from tropical Asia and Malaysia that people grow for its pretty leaves

is the native feathery plant described without cultivation focus
Davallia mariesii
vsball fern
  • Specialized
9.9

A feathery fern from tropical Asia often grown as a house or garden plant

is the native feathery plant rather than the cultivated variety
squirrel's-foot fern
vsball fern
9.9

A feathery fern with soft furry underground stems that look like a squirrel's foot

is the general native feathery plant without that furry rhizome feature

Surface Forms

ball fern singular
ball ferns plural

Morphology

ball + fern

This is a descriptive noun–noun compound: combining 'ball' (spherical object) with 'fern' yields a fern that is ball-shaped or has a rounded growth form. The meaning is compositionally predictable from the parts and follows a common cross-linguistic pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Ball fern comes from the way this fern grows in round, soft clumps. People used ball to describe the 'ball-like' shape and fern for the plant, so the name helps you picture the plant today.