hard fern
- noun
- UK
:
helecho duro
- The hard fern thrives in damp woodlands and shaded areas.
Examples
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The hard fern is recognized for its tough, leathery fronds that can withstand harsh conditions.
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Gardeners value hard fern as an ornamental plant for shady gardens.
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Botanists can identify hard fern by its stiff, dark green leaves.
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The hard fern thrives in shady areas.
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Many hard ferns grow in the forest.
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You can often find hard fern in damp woodlands, where it resembles a small bush.
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In her garden, she planted hard fern to add greenery to the shaded spots.
Synonyms
An evergreen fern with upright leaves often grown in shady gardens and eaten by deer
A group of ferns with tough leaves that grow on the ground, usually in the Southern Hemisphere
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase denotes a type of fern described by the adjective 'hard' (firm, tough), so its meaning—a fern with tough/leathery fronds—is directly compositional from 'hard' + 'fern'. This follows a common adjective+noun pattern that a B1 learner who knows both words can readily interpret, though the precise botanical genus is specialist information beyond basic inference.
Etymology
Hard fern gets its name from its very stiff, leathery leaves. People called it hard because the leaves are 'tough' rather than 'soft', so the name tells you which fern it is.
