Fern Frond

Frond

A frond is a large, divided leaf. In both common usage and botanical nomenclature, the leaves of ferns are referred to as fronds and some botanists restrict the term to this group. Other botanists allow the term frond to also apply to the large leaves of cycads, as well as palms (Arecaceae) and various other flowering plants, such as mimosa or sumac. "Frond" is commonly used to identify a large, compound leaf, but if the term is used botanically to refer to the leaves of ferns and algae it may be applied to smaller and undivided leaves. Whatever the term frond can also refer to structures or organisms of ediacaran lifeforms called Frondomorphs, which may be related to primitive animals.

Fern

Ferns are a group of vascular plants that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They reproduce in two phases, a short-lived gametophyte that reproduces sexually to develop a spore-bearing leaf structure. Some ferns produce coiled fiddleheads, which expand into fronds.

fern

Noun

1. Any of a group of some twenty thousand species of vascular plants classified in the division Pteridophyta that lack seeds and reproduce by shedding spores to initiate an alternation of generations.
2. A light green color inspired by the color of ferns.

frond

Noun

1. The leaf of a fern, especially a compound leaf.
2. Any fern-like leaf or other object resembling a fern leaf.