Fern
Ferns are a group of nonflowering vascular plants that reproduce by spores rather than seeds or flowers.
Ferns are nonflowering vascular plants that reproduce by spores. They have true roots, stems, and complex leaves, with about 10,500 living species.
What it is
Ferns are seedless vascular plants with true roots, stems, and usually large, divided leaves called fronds. They are herbaceous nonflowering plants, though some species are tree-like in form.
How it reproduces
Ferns reproduce by spores, not seeds or flowers. Their life cycle includes alternating sporophyte and gametophyte stages; the familiar leafy plant is the sporophyte stage.
Key details
Ferns are classified in the class Polypodiopsida. They are an ancient plant lineage with a long fossil record, and are among the most diverse groups of vascular plants after flowering plants.
In short
- Ferns are vascular plants with tissues that transport water and nutrients.
- They do not produce seeds, flowers, or fruits.
- Their leaves are called fronds.
- They reproduce through spores and have an alternation-of-generations life cycle.
Ferns are common in Canadian forests, gardens, and houseplant collections, and they are familiar to Canadian readers as shade-tolerant native and ornamental plants.
Quick questions
What is a fern?
Do ferns have seeds or flowers?
What are fern leaves called?
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/plant/fernSupports: Definition of ferns as nonflowering vascular plants, classification, structures, reproduction by spores, and species estimate.
- American Fern Society — https://www.amerfernsoc.org/about-fernsSupports: Approximate number of living species and broad statement on fern diversity.
- U.S. Forest Service — https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/beauty/ferns/more-information.shtmlSupports: Basic description of fern structure as having roots, stems, and leaves.
- Encyclopedia.com — https://www.encyclopedia.com/plants-and-animals/plants/plants/fernSupports: Fern leaves being called fronds and general plant characteristics.