osmund n 1: any fern of the genus Osmunda: large ferns with creeping rhizomes; naked sporangia are on modified fronds that resemble flower clusters [syn: {flowering fern}, {osmund}]
Osmund \Os"mund\, n. (Bot.) A fern of the genus {Osmunda}, or flowering fern. The most remarkable species is the {osmund royal}, or {royal fern} ({Osmunda regalis}), which grows in wet or boggy places, and has large bipinnate fronds, often with a panicle of capsules at the top. The rootstock contains much starch, and has been used in stiffening linen. [1913 Webster]