GGC member Martha Sweeny admires a patch of ostrich ferns
Ferns are the oldest group of plants on earth with fossil recordings dating back 390 million years ago. The type of ferns we see today evolved a mere 70 million years ago. And evolve they did. There are about 12,000 species of ferns worldwide with fewer than 70 species in New England. I’m a big fan of the home team ferns. They thrive in shady areas and add gorgeous shades of green throughout the forest. In autumn, many turn tan or yellow while some keep their deep green color all year like the christmas ferns. The only edible fern is the ostrich fern whose fiddlehead are highly sought after in the spring.
The fern life cycle takes two generations of plant to procreate—known in scientific terms as diploid and haploid. I failed in my attempt to write the process succinctly. I would need to explain all sorts of things like rhizoids, archegonium, and apogamy; but trust me, it takes two generations. The two-generation system must work well because there are zillions of ferns growing everywhere. Nature continues to astound.
Here are some photos of a tiny fraction of the ferns I’ve seen on my hikes in the forest and include hay scented, cinnamon, christmas, interrupted, wood, hay scented (up close), bracken, sensitive, maidenhair, polypodies, braun's holly, new york, and lady fern
The fern life cycle takes two generations of plant to procreate—known in scientific terms as diploid and haploid. I failed in my attempt to write the process succinctly. I would need to explain all sorts of things like rhizoids, archegonium, and apogamy; but trust me, it takes two generations. The two-generation system must work well because there are zillions of ferns growing everywhere. Nature continues to astound.
Here are some photos of a tiny fraction of the ferns I’ve seen on my hikes in the forest and include hay scented, cinnamon, christmas, interrupted, wood, hay scented (up close), bracken, sensitive, maidenhair, polypodies, braun's holly, new york, and lady fern
