Ferns have grown on Earth for longer than trees and flowers, and existed well before Homo sapiens. In our region, the oldest lineage, emerging 200 million years ago, is the royal fern family (Osmundaceae), including royal, cinnamon, and interrupted ferns.
Named for the fertile, spore-producing pinnae that “interrupt” the rest of the leafy frond, Osmunda claytonia illustrates the many qualities ferns have evolved after so much time on this planet: tough spores that drift on the wind and can remain viable for decades; a separate, tiny reproductive form, called a gametophyte, tolerant of drought and flood; a special light receptor that enables photosynthesis in the shadiest environments.
Recent Comments