Fern

Ferns are interesting plants that make new plants using tiny pieces called spores, instead of seeds or flowers. Unlike mosses and other simple plants, ferns have special parts that move water and nutrients, making them a bit more like trees and flowers. Their leaves, called fronds, often start curled up like a tiny ball before opening into lovely patterns.

There are about 10,560 kinds of ferns today, and they have existed for over 400 million years. They first grew on land when many new plants were starting to appear. Ferns are not usually grown for food or profit, but some people use them for medicine, decoration, or to help clean polluted soil. Certain ferns can also add nutrients to rice fields, helping farmers grow more rice. Ferns play special roles in many cultures and stories worldwide.

Description

Ferns are special plants that do not grow flowers or seeds. Instead, they make tiny particles called spores to grow new plants. Most ferns are not woody, which means they do not have hard trunks like trees. Their leaves, often called fronds, can be simple or split into many smaller parts. Some ferns have two kinds of leaves—one type makes spores and another type makes food for the plant.

The part of the fern you see above the ground is called the sporophyte. It has stems, leaves, and roots. Under the soil, ferns have structures called rhizomes or roots that help them get water and nutrients. Ferns also have a smaller stage in their life cycle called the gametophyte, which is like a tiny green plate that makes eggs and swimming cells to help fertilization.

Life cycle and reproduction

Ferns have a special life cycle with two main stages. First, the fern plant, called a sporophyte, makes tiny particles called spores on the underside of its leaves. These spores are released into the air and land on the ground.

When the spores land on the ground, they grow into a small plant called a gametophyte. This tiny plant makes male and female cells. A swimming male cell meets a female cell and joins with it, creating a new sporophyte plant. This new plant grows into the fern you see.

Taxonomy

Carl Linnaeus first described 15 groups of ferns in 1753 and called them Cryptogamia. Since then, we have found many more types of ferns. Ferns used to be put in a group called Filices or in a Division named Pteridophyta. But scientists now know that Pteridophyta is not a correct grouping because it mixed plants that are not closely related.

Ferns are sometimes called Polypodiophyta or, when grouped with other plants that have tubes to carry water (Tracheophyta), Polypodiopsida. All plants that make spores and have tubes used to be called pteridophytes. This group included ferns and plants like clubmosses and spikemosses. But new genetic research shows these plants are not all closely related. For example, clubmosses and spikemosses evolved separately from other plants with tubes. Modern science helps us learn more about how these plants are related and how they have changed over time.

The leptosporangiate ferns, often just called "true ferns," make up most of the ferns alive today. Recent studies suggest that a group called Osmundaceae split away from other true ferns a long time ago. Other studies show that whisk ferns and ophioglossoid ferns are their own special groups of ferns.

Distribution and habitat

Ferns grow all over the world. They are most common in warm places like rainforests. Ferns grow less in cold areas such as arctic regions. New Zealand, where ferns are a national symbol, has many kinds of ferns. You can also see ferns in forests across Europe.

Ecology

Ferns grow in many places, such as tall mountains, dry deserts, and even underwater. They often grow where flowers don’t, like in shady forests or on rocky surfaces. Some ferns live on the sides of trees, called epiphytes. They give a home to many tiny animals.

Many ferns need help from special fungi to grow. Some only grow in certain soil types. Fern spores are eaten by animals, like mice and birds, because they have nutrients like fats and proteins.

Uses

Ferns may not be as economically important as plants with seeds, but they are still valuable in many ways. Some ferns are eaten, like the young parts called fiddleheads from certain species such as bracken and ostrich fern. In places like Brunei, New Zealand, and the South Pacific, people have traditionally eaten tubers from ferns, including the king fern. Ferns are generally safe to eat and were used as food long ago.

Ferns are also useful in other ways. Small floating ferns called water ferns, or mosquito ferns, are used in rice fields to help provide nutrients for other plants. Many ferns are grown for decoration in gardens, homes, and as cut flowers, with popular choices including the Boston fern and staghorn ferns. Some ferns can become invasive and are considered weeds in certain areas.

Culture

The study of ferns is called pteridology. During the Victorian era, people loved ferns. They collected them and used fern designs in many types of decorative art, like pottery, glass, and fabrics.

Ferns also appear in stories and traditions. In some places, finding a blooming fern is thought to bring good luck. The Silver fern is a symbol of New Zealand. It appears on its passport and represents its national rugby team, the All Blacks.

Organisms confused with ferns

Some plants and animals have names that sound like "fern" but are not really ferns. For example, the asparagus fern is not a true fern. It is a type of flowering plant. The air fern looks like a plant but is actually a group of animals related to jellyfish.

Other flowering plants, like some palms and plants in the carrot family, have leaves that look a bit like fern fronds. But unlike ferns, these plants make seeds inside fruits. Cycads also have leaves that look like ferns but belong to a different plant group called gymnosperms.