[furn] 
| any seedless, nonflowering vascular plant of the class Filicinae, of tropical to temperate regions, characterized by true roots produced from a rhizome, triangular fronds that uncoil upward and have a branching vein system, and reproduction by spores contained in sporangia that appear as brown dots on the underside of the fronds. |
[furn] | a female given name. |
| fern (fûrn) n. Any of numerous flowerless, seedless vascular plants having roots, stems, and fronds and reproducing by spores. [Middle English, from Old English fearn; see per-2 in Indo-European roots.] fern'y adj. |