fiddleheads

1. tall fern of northern temperate regions having graceful arched fronds and sporophylls resembling ostrich plumesSynonyms: Matteuccia struthiopteris, Onoclea struthiopteris, Pteretis struthiopteris, fiddlehead, ostrich fern, shuttlecock fern

2. New World fern having woolly cinnamon-colored spore-bearing fronds in early spring later surrounded by green fronds; the early uncurling fronds are edibleSynonyms: Osmunda cinnamonea, cinnamon fern, fiddlehead, fiddlehead fern