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A fern is a member of a group of vascular plants that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They belong to the lower vascular plant division Pteridophyta, having leaves usually with branching vein systems. There are about 10,560 known species of fern. Ferns are some of the oldest plants in the world.
- What are three facts about ferns?
- What is interesting about ferns?
- How long can ferns live?
- How old are ferns?
- Why are ferns popular?
- How do ferns get water?
- Who eats ferns?
- Where do ferns grow?
- How do ferns get food?
- Do ferns like sun?
- Are ferns a tree?
- What did ferns evolve from?
- Are ferns edible?
- How big is a fern?
- Do ferns have flowers?
What are three facts about ferns?
Depending on the species, fern develops as miniature herbaceous plant or as tall tree. Smallest fern is only 2 to 3 inches high. Largest fern can grow 30 feet high into the air. Ferns have fibrous root that can easily absorb water and all nutrients required for successful growth.
What is interesting about ferns?
Ferns are unique in land plants in having two separate living structures, so the ferny plant that we see out in the bush produces spores, and those spores, when they are released, don't grow straight back into a new ferny plant. They grow into a little tiny plant that we call a gametophyte.
How long can ferns live?
There are tons of different species of ferns, but they all generally need the same thing: water, warmth, and shade. By putting your fern in the right spot and keeping an eye on it, you can grow your fern to its full potential and keep it around for years to come (seriously—some ferns can live to be 100 years old!).
How old are ferns?
Ferns are ancient plants whose ancestors first appeared on Earth over 300 million years ago. Members of a division of primitive plants called Pteridophytes, ferns are one of the earth's oldest plant groups and dominated the land before the rise of flowering plants.
Why are ferns popular?
Ferns are one of the most popular types of plants used for shaded areas, as they thrive in low light conditions, bringing much-needed greenery and life to dark and dull corners of both gardens and homes.
How do ferns get water?
Ferns contain a simple root system that absorbs water, like the root systems of later evolved plants. As water evaporates from the leaves, it pulls water up from the roots, similar to how water moves up a drinking straw. ...
Who eats ferns?
The sawfly and several species of caterpillar eat the bracken fern. The Peruvian fern insect exclusively eats ferns. Other insects that eat ferns include aphids, whiteflys, cutworms, beetles, crickets and grasshoppers.
Where do ferns grow?
Ecologically, the ferns are most commonly plants of shaded damp forests of both temperate and tropical zones. Some fern species grow equally well on soil and upon rocks; others are confined strictly to rocky habitats, where they occur in fissures and crevices of cliff faces, boulders, and taluses.
How do ferns get food?
Feeding: Ferns are producers. They make their own food by photosynthesis. ... Other facts: There are many different types of fern. They all reproduce with tiny dust-like spores that form on their fronds.
Do ferns like sun?
About Ferns
Ferns are a natural inhabitant of shady areas, most commonly found where they will get at least some sun during part of the day or where they will receive dappled sunlight most of the day. In fact most ferns will not grow that well in real dense shade, they need a bit of sun to grow their best.
Are ferns a tree?
Tree ferns are true ferns. ... A tree fern's unusual trunk consists of a thin stem surrounded by thick, fibrous roots. The fronds on many tree ferns remain green throughout the year. In a few species, they turn brown and hang around the top of the trunk, much like palm tree leaves.
What did ferns evolve from?
Most botanists believe that the ferns and fern allies are descendants of the Rhyniopsida, an extinct group of free-sporing plants which originated in the Silurian period (about 430 million years ago) and went extinct in the mid-Devonian period (about 370 million years ago).
Are ferns edible?
Most ferns make fronds that look like the edible fiddlehead, but not all ferns are edible. It is vitally important to make a correct identification when harvesting. Some ferns are poisonous, including the ubiquitous Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum). Each region has its own preferred species for fiddlehead harvest.
How big is a fern?
Size range and habitat. The ferns are extremely diverse in habitat, form, and reproductive methods. In size alone they range from minute filmy plants only 1–1.2 cm (0.39–0.47 inch) tall to huge tree ferns 10 to 25 metres (30 to 80 feet) in height. Some are twining and vinelike; others float on the surface of ponds.
Do ferns have flowers?
Ferns are plants that do not have flowers. Ferns generally reproduce by producing spores. ... However, unlike flowering plants, ferns do not have flowers or seeds; instead, they usually reproduce sexually by tiny spores or sometimes can reproduce vegetatively, as exemplified by the walking fern.
