A leafy branch of a fern, palm, or similar plant; in botany, the entire leaf structure of a fern.
From French 'fronde', derived from Latin 'fronda' meaning leafy branch. The term became especially important in botanical classification as scientists studied ferns and their unique leaf structures.
A 'frond' (from the same root) is botanically distinct from a leaf—fern fronds are actually entire leaf systems with their own stem and smaller leaflets, and the term shows how scientists needed special vocabulary for nature's variety.
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