spores

Time Flies while Watching Ferns

| Flower Roberts

This post is a follow-up to to a post from November of 2016.

I am shocked that it has been almost two years!

That fall I reported on a disappearing fern.

One of my favorite babies was disappearing.

Further inspection showed that caterpillar was eating my coveted

Dragon’s tail fern, Aspleniaceae x Ebenoides.

After attempts to save what was left of the little fern,

I decided my best hope for a future for the fern was for future offspring.

I placed the remaining fronds face down on sterile seed-starting mix in a sealed glass jar.

Green slowly appeared months later. This tiny green growth was the gametophyte stage of the fern.

This week, while trapped inside during Hurricane Florence, I notice the first tiny frond.

A fern is born!  In only two short years!

If you are into gardening for the long game, try starting ferns.

It will make watching grass grow seem fast-paced and exciting.

MAMA FERN/ FLOWER/SLOWFLOW

S’more Spores

| Flower Roberts

It’s the time of year when plants get ready to go dormant here in North Carolina.

This means in addition to losing leaves, plants set seed or form spores.  This hopefully ensures another generation of plants.

This November is a little unusual because it has been so warm that we still have flowers blooming and bees buzzing.  I have even had second generation seeds germinate and flower this season.

I will take you on a tour of s’more spores.  Seeds will follow in another post.

Sensitive fern/Onoclea sensibilis sends up its own spores on a stick.  These are referred to as beads.

img_5715

Its fronds are sterile, i.e. do not produce spores.

img_5705

Chain fern/ Woodwardia areolata has a separate spore bearing structure, also.

img_5709

Its fronds do not produce spores either.

img_5698

The Japanese Holly fern/Cyrtomium falcatum has a sporadic spore arrangement.  No pun intended.

img_5710

Its fronds are evergreen.

img_5701

Here is one sorus from the Japanese Holly fern under the microscope.

20161106_135337.jpg

Stay tuned for seeds.

FLOWER