Question

Mention any two facts about ferns.

Answer 1

Ferns are known to belong to the group of vascular plants that carry out reproduction by s[pores and do not produce either seeds or flowers. First appearance of ferns was said to be about 360 million years ago during the middle Devonian period.

Complete answer:
Ferns comprise the following structures- stem, leaves, root, prothallus and rhizoids. The stems of ferns are referred to as rhizomes with only a few of them growing below ground. Some of the species have woody trunks whereas some have creeping stolons. The leaves of ferns are green and are divided into two types- sporophyll and trophophyll. Sporophyll is known to be a fertile leaf that produces spores which are borne in sporangia whereas the trophophyll are known to be vegetative leaves that are not capable of producing spores.

The roots of ferns are similar to those of the seed producing plants and help in the absorption of water and nutrients from the soil. The prothallus of ferns is a kidney shaped green structure that produces gametes with the help of two structures-antheridia that produce flagellated sperm and archegonia that produces a single egg. Rhizoids are elongated structures that also help in absorption of water and minerals.

Two facts about ferns are-
• They produce spores and no seed or flower and grow in shady places such as swamps, fields to obtain moisture.
• They are free living and do not depend upon their parent plant for survival.

Note: Ferns are generally not toxic to humans as a result of which some of them are used as a source of food, some are used for fixation of nitrogen and they are also used for the removal of heavy metals.