asplenium

British  

/ æˈspliːnɪəm /

noun

1. any fern of the very large genus Asplenium, of worldwide distribution. Some, esp the bird's nest fern ( A. nidus ), are grown as greenhouse or house plants for their decorative evergreen fronds: family Polypodiaceae See also spleenwort

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Etymology

Origin of asplenium

New Latin, from Latin asplēnum, from Greek asplēnon spleenwort, from a- not + splēn spleen (from its reputed medicinal properties)

Example Sentences

His horse's feet brushed through the delicate asplenium, the Venus'-hair of Australia; the sarsaparilla still hung in scant purple tufts on the golden wattle, and the scarlet correa lurked among the broken quartz.

From Recollections of Geoffrey Hamlyn by Kingsley, Henry

The most important of the larger species are woodwardia, aspidium, asplenium, and, above all, the common pteris.

From The Yosemite by Muir, John

We were afterwards informed that asplenium, lastrea, scolopendrium, and others are to be found in the neighbourhood.

From A Week's Tramp in Dickens-Land by Hughes, William R. (William Richard)