FernsAre they really better than mosses or do they just think so? Lets count.

What are those spots on the underside of the leaf? Are they some sort of bug?

Do ferns flower?

FERNS-The first vascular plantsFerns belong to the Phylum Tracheophyta.

Leafy part of ferns are called frondsFerns have evolved ways of surviving without water. They have:

1.Vascular tissue (tubes) to carry water & nutrients around the plant. They are called:xylem for water from roots to rest of plant

phloem for sugar from fronds to rest of plant

2.Waterproof coating on leaves to stop water loss-called waxy cuticle

3.Rigid support so leaves are held up to the sun for photosynthesis.

REPRODUCTIONAlso show alternation of generation reproduction cycle. The dominant generation is the sporophyte generation.

Sexual reproduction still requires a little water for swimming sperm.Haploid spore production takes place on the underside of the frond.

Spores are produced in a sporangium (plural: sporangia)

Many sporangia make up a sorus (plural: sori) which are the spots on the bottom of a fern frond.

Fern Reproductive Cycle