oak fern

English

an oak fern (Gymnocarpium dryopteris)

Alternative forms

oakfern

Noun

oak fern (plural oak ferns)

Any of various ferns which grow on trees and walls
1. genus Gymnocarpium (syn Thelypteris)
2. especially common polypody (Polypodium virginianum, native to North America, and Polypodium vulgare, native to Europe), formerly thought to have medicinal properties when found growing on an oak.
  - 1603, Michel de Montaigne, translated by John Florio, The Essayes […], London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
    , II.12:
    Why say we, that […] to know the vertue of Reubarb, qualitie of Oak ferne, and operation of Polipodie, is only peculiar unto man?

Further reading

oak fern on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
“oak fern”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

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