What is the leaf of a fern called?

The leaf of a fern is called a frond.

A fern frond is the plant’s prominent leaf-like structure, often divided into many smaller sections that give it a feathered appearance. A young frond commonly emerges tightly coiled and gradually unfurls as it grows; this curled form is sometimes called a fiddlehead because it resembles the scroll at the top of a violin.

Fern fronds have their own botanical vocabulary. The stalk attaching a frond to the plant is called a stipe, while the central continuation through the blade is the rachis. The flattened leafy portion is the blade, or lamina, and its smaller divisions may be called pinnae or pinnules.

“Frond” is the standard quiz answer for a fern leaf, although botanists sometimes use the word more broadly for large leaves of cycads and palms. Ferns reproduce with spores rather than flowers and seeds. Many fronds bear clusters of spore-producing structures called sori, usually found on the underside of the blade.