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Definition of potato fern in English:

potato fern

noun

  • 1Australian A fern of the genus Marattia (the para or king fern).

  • 2Any of several tropical South American ferns of the genus Solanopteris (family Polypodiaceae), the rhizomes of which contain specialized sacs that are inhabited by ants.

Origin

Late 19th century; earliest use found in Frederick Bailey (1827–1915).