resurrection fern

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun An epiphytic, creeping fern (Pleopeltis polypodioides syn. Polypodium polypodioides) native to warm regions of the Americas and southern Africa, having fronds that curl up and appear dead in prolonged dry weather and expand under moist conditions.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun fern growing on rocks or tree trunks and having fronds greyish and scurfy below; Americas and South Africa