maidenhairn.

1. Either of two types of fern, not clearly distinguished in early use, with delicate fronds and hairlike stalks: (a) Adiantum capillus-veneris, a fern (often cultivated) with delicate, pale green, fan-shaped pinnules, which occurs in shady humid habitats in subtropical and warm temperate parts of the world and was formerly much used in medicine (formerly also †black maidenhair, †Lombardy maidenhair, or †true maidenhair); (gen.) any fern of this genus, e.g. the North American A. pedatum; (b) (now rare, perhaps Obsolete) any of several spleenworts (in later use always with distinguishing word); esp. maidenhair spleenwort, Asplenium trichomanes (also common maidenhair).English, white maidenhair: see the first element.

†2. A kind of textile fabric. Obsolete. Middle Eng. Dict. suggests ‘?a fabric with a maidenhair ornamentation’.

†4. Perhaps: a kind of marking on flowers. Obsolete.

† maidenhair syrup adj. Obsolete rare

maidenhair berry n. North American the edible berry of either species of maidenhair (see sense 3d); the plant itself, esp. G. procumbens; cf. maidener n.

maidenhair fern n. = sense 1(a).

† maidenhair grass n. Obsolete quaking grass, Briza media.

maidenhair moss n. †(a) any of several kinds of moss with hairlike leaves, probably including species of Polytrichum, Grimmia, and Tortula (see also golden maidenhair n. at golden adj. and n. Compounds 4a) (obsolete); (b) U.S. regional a fine-leaved pondweed, Potamogeton nodosus.

maidenhair spleenwort n. (more fully common maidenhair spleenwort) a common spleenwort of rocks and walls, Asplenium trichomanes, which has simply pinnate fronds and a black rachis; (also, with distinguishing word) any of several related spleenworts.

maidenhair tree n. the ginkgo, Ginkgo biloba, which has leaves resembling the pinnules of a maidenhair fern, Adiantum.