Tree Fern
/ˈtriː ˌfɜːrn/noun
A large fern with a tall, woody-looking trunk crowned by a spreading cluster of fronds.
Did you know?Tree ferns belong to lineages that existed long before flowering plants, and their trunks are formed from fibrous fern tissue rather than true woody growth.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*deru-
“To be firm or solid; also associated with a tree, especially an oak.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*trewą
“A tree; something made of wood.”
Old English
Old English
trēow
“Tree, wood, or something firm and dependable; the source of modern “tree.””
Old English
Old English
fearn
“Fern, a leafy nonflowering plant.”
Middle English
Middle English
tree ferne
“A fern growing with a tree-like stem or trunk.”
Modern English
English
tree fern
“A tall fern with a trunk-like stem and a crown of fronds.”