| Noun | 1. silvery spleenwort - fern with elongate silvery outgrowths enclosing the developing sporesAthyrium thelypteroides, Deparia acrostichoidesfern - any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by sporesDeparia, genus Deparia - classification used for 5 species of terrestrial ferns usually placed in other genera | | 2. silvery spleenwort - North American fern with narrow fronds on yellowish leafstalksAthyrium pycnocarpon, Diplazium pycnocarpon, glade fern, narrow-leaved spleenwortfern - any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by sporesAthyrium, genus Athyrium - temperate and tropical lady ferns; in some classifications placed in family Polypodiaceae or in the genus Asplenium |