In heraldry, describing a cross with each arm divided or cleft at the end, resembling a hazelnut.
From Spanish 'avellan' meaning 'hazelnut,' referring to the hazelnut-like terminals of the cross. The heraldic term originated in Spanish heraldic traditions and was adopted into English heraldry.
Medieval heralds had to be incredibly creative with their cross designs—the avellan cross actually looks like a four-pointed nut cluster, proving that practical nature inspired even the most formal symbolic traditions!
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