Fern, class of several thousand species of nonflowering vascular plants that reproduce by spores Ferns have true roots, stems, and complex leaves and constitute an ancient division of plants Learn about their physical characteristics, life cycle, genetics, evolutionary history, and classification. A fern plant is a type of plant that reproduces via spores This means they have no flowers and, therefore no seeds ‘fern’ is the more common name for this group of plants, which is botanically known as ‘polypodiophyta’.
There are around 10,000 species of fern from within the polypodiopsida class with a great variation in size, spread, and shape. Ferns are plants in the polypodiopsida class and the polypodiophyta division of the plant kingdom They’re closely related to club mosses, horsetails, and quillworts With over 20,000 different known species out there, you’re probably wondering what unites all the different ferns of the world. What follows is a short primer on the biology of ferns, starting at the beginning, with how ferns first originated and evolved into the plants we see in the present, making special note of some of the groups that went extinct along the way. Learn how to care for fern plants
This substrate can be soil, moss or duff People often confuse rhizomes with roots Fern roots are generally thin and wiry in texture and grow along the stem They absorb water and nutrients and help secure the fern to its substrate. There are about 11,000 species of ferns, most of them indigenous to tropical and subtropical regions A fern plant generally consists of one or more fronds attached to a rhizome
A frond is simply the leaf of the fern A rhizome is a specialized, rootlike stem. Ferns are incredible prehistoric plants that make charming additions to outdoor and indoor gardens Learn about all fern types and species!
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