adder's-tongue fern
Share:
Tweet n. Any of various ferns in the genus Ophioglossum, having an erect stem that branches into a single oval blade and a spikelike spore-bearing stalk.Also called adder's-tongue. [From the resemblance of the spike at the base of the frond to a snake's tongue.] ![]() (click for a larger image) adder's-tongue fernsouthern adder's-tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.