ebony spleenwort

noun

1. a fern, Asplenium platyneuron, of woody areas of North America, having ladderlike leaves and shiny, dark brown stems.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ebony spleenwort¹

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

Example Sentences

These dots account for the other half of ebony spleenwort’s unusual common name, as early herbalists thought its shape resembled the human spleen.

From New York Times

It is a hybrid between the walking fern and the ebony spleenwort, as proved by Miss Margaret Slosson, and may be looked for in the immediate vicinity of its parents.

From Project Gutenberg