Pteridophora
ter-ih-DOF-or-uh
Genus
the one that bears (or carries) ferns
Literally: fern-bearer
| Part | Meaning | Language | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| pterido- | a fern (Pteris-type fern; combining form pterido-) | Greek (pteri, -do, -s) | stem of pteris; the initial pt- follows the Greek rule: p is silent at the start of an English word |
| -phora | carry, bear; movement | Greek (phor, -a, -e, -i, -o) | -phora is the neuter-plural / feminine nominative ending of the -phoros/-phora class; here used as a feminine singular noun suffix meaning 'bearer of' |
A compound Greek noun: pterido- (combining form of pteris, 'fern') + -phora (from phorein, 'to carry/bear'), yielding a feminine singular noun meaning 'fern-bearer'. The genus (Pteridophora alberti) is a bird-of-paradise whose extraordinary head plumes resemble fern fronds, motivating the name. The specific epithet alberti is a Latin genitive ('of Albert') in apposition.
Pronunciation
- ter-ih-DOF-or-uh Five syllables: ter-i-do-pho-ra. Penult is 'pho' with short vowel followed by single consonant r, so no penult-stress rule applies; stress falls on the antepenult 'do'. Initial p of pt- is silent by the initial-cluster rule.
Other readings
A minority reading could take pter- ('wing/feather') + -ido- as a linking element + -phora ('bearer'), giving 'feather-bearer' — but the dictionary confirms pterido- is its own combining form meaning 'fern', making the fern reading primary and best supported.
The initial p of Pteridophora is silent (initial pt- rule: first consonant silent at the start of a word). phor- also has an unrelated entry meaning 'a thief; a kind of bee'; context (fern-like plumes of a bird-of-paradise) clearly favours the 'carry/bear' reading. Pteridophora alberti Gray, 1859 is the King of Saxony Bird-of-Paradise; the name alludes to its spectacular head wires, which resemble fern fronds.