The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Location
Found especially in shadowed places such as narrow river valleys; harts-tongue is specifically recorded as growing along the upper course of the river Silverlode
Species
Asplenium scolopendrium (a species of fern)
Meaning
A fern named for its resemblance to the tongue of a hart (that is, a male deer)

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 18 February 2026
  • This entry is complete

Harts-tongue

A type of fern with green fronds that are distinctively long and narrow, giving rise to the plant's name (which compares these long fronds with the shape of a hart's tongue, a hart being an older male deer). Ferns of this kind prefer sheltered, shaded places, and it was on the shadowed banks of a dell on the river Silverlode that they were found growing by the Company of the Ring as they journeyed into Lórien.


Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 18 February 2026
  • This entry is complete

For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2016, 2026. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.

Website services kindly sponsored by Axiom Discovery aptitude and skill testing.
Personality is one part of understanding a candidate's suitability, but aptitudes and skills are also key.
The Encyclopedia of Arda
The Encyclopedia of Arda
Menu
Homepage Search Latest Entries and Updates Random Entry