hart's-tongue
noun
variants or hart's-tongue fern
plural hart's-tongues or hart's-tongue ferns
1
: a chiefly Eurasian fern (Phyllitis scolopendrium) with simple lanceolate fronds often auriculate at the base
2
: a tropical American fern (Polybotria cervina) of the family Polypodiaceae
3
: strap fern
Word History
Etymology
hart's-tongue from Middle English hertestonge, from hertes (genitive of hert hart) + tonge tongue; hart's-tongue fern from hart's-tongue + fern; from the shape of the fronds