[ad. L. frond-, frōns leaf, applied by Linnæus in a specific sense, in contradistinction to folium leaf.]
1. Bot. The leaf-like organ formed by the union of stem and foliage in certain flowerless plants. Formerly (and still in loose popular language) applied also to the large compound leaves, e.g., of the palm, banana, etc.
[1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v. Leaf, Frondes expresses leaves consisting of several other leaves and forming the whole plant.]
1785. Martyn, Rousseau’s Bot., xxxii. 488–9. Our common species, which is found in moist meadows, may be known by the frond or leaf being ovate.
1791. W. Bartram, Carolina, 478. The lower larger fronds were digitated, or rather radiated.
1840. E. Newman, Brit. Ferns, Introd. (1844), 31. The fronds of ferns are generally much divided.
1858. T. R. Jones, Aquar. Nat., 14. One or two fragments of stone with fronds of green sea-weed growing thereon.
1874. C. Geikie, Life in Woods, vi. 110. The broad fronds of the pine trees. Ibid. (1877), Christ, liv. (1879), 661. Cutting fronds … from the palm-trees, that lined the path.
1878. Huxley, Physiography, 235, note. A frond differs from an ordinary leaf in usually bearing fructification.
attrib. 1877. F. Heath, Fern W., 112. One of the latter contains a frond-bud or imperfect germ.
2. Zool. A leaf-like expansion found in certain animal organisms.
1846. Dana, Zooph. (1848), 323. Small, foliaceous, fronds solitary.
1876. Harley, Mat. Med. (ed. 6), 370. The fronds are mucilaginous when young, and are used as food in some countries.
