climbing fern
- noun
- /ˈklaɪmɪŋ fɜrn/
:
helecho trepador
- The climbing fern can grow up to 30 feet long as it entwines itself around other plants.
- Old World climbing fern
- World climbing fern
- climbing fern's native
Examples
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In fact, climbing fern is spreading so rapidly that it's now the state's worst invasive weed.
Academic text (2004) -
On the ground, climbing fern creates tough, spongy mats that can easily smother grasses, low-growing shrubs, and small trees.
Academic text (2002) -
In Florida, the mite may eventually be joined by two other natural enemies of climbing fern.
Academic text (2004) -
The mite is under study as a possible biological control agent for Old World climbing fern.
Academic text (2002) -
In addition, climbing fern can worsen the fire hazard in whatever ecosystem it invades.
Academic text (2000) -
Perhaps this trio of Old World climbing fern's natural enemies can turn the tide against this pernicious Everglades invader.
Academic text (2004) -
"We collected this moth on climbing fern in subtropical Queensland, in eastern Australia," says Goolsby.
Academic text (2000) -
Entomologist John Goolsby examines Old World climbing fern in its native habitat in Queensland, Australia.
Academic text (2000) -
In Florida, the climbing fern wraps its fronds around nearby trees to reach sunlight.
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In subtropical regions, the climbing fern thrives by climbing over shrubs and fences.
Synonyms
A climbing fern with long twining leaves that wraps around trees in tropical areas
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a fern that climbs' is directly and compositionally derived from 'climbing' (going up/twining) + 'fern' (a plant); the participle modifies the noun in a standard, transparent way. This modifier+noun pattern is cross-linguistically common and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.
Etymology
Climbing fern was named for how the fern grows: its long stems wind around trees and other plants so the climbing plant seems to 'climb' on them. That's why the name means a fern that uses other plants for 'support' and grows upward.
