fern: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As	Polypodiopsida • Filicophyta • true fern

Photos and Videos

fern life cycle

A detailed botanical illustration of a generalized fern sporophyte labeled with key parts: roots, rhizome, crosier, petiole, blade, midrib, and leaflet.

Diagram of the fern life cycle showing both diploid and haploid generations, with illustrations of sporophyte, sporangium, spore, prothallus, gametophyte, and fertilization stages, along with key processes like meiosis and mitosis.

Detailed botanical diagram showing various fern gametophytes and related structures, including labeled spores, prothallium forms, archegonia, antheridia, rhizoids, meristems, and developmental stages.

Observe how the sporophytic fern appears to unfurl upward as it grows from its rhizome

Why do ferns prefer the shade?

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Topics

sun fern Marattiidae Psilotopsida Polypodiidae Equisetopsida Gleicheniales Sphenophyllales Pseudoborniales Hyeniales Equisetales angiosperm conifer cycadophyte gnetophyte lycophyte ginkgophyte moss hornwort liverwort Cycadeoidophyta

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Key People

Hooker, Sir William Jackson

Sir William Jackson Hooker

British botanist

Frederick Orpen Bower, detail of an oil painting by Sir William Orpen; in the University of Glasgow Art Collections

Frederick Orpen Bower

English botanist

Douglas Campbell

Douglas Houghton Campbell

American botanist

Venus's-flytrap. Venus's-flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) one of the best known of the meat-eating plants. Carnivorous plant, Venus flytrap, Venus fly trap

Plants: From Cute to Carnivorous