examples of ferns

There are more than 10,000 species of fern, varying in height from a a fraction of an inch to several feet.

tree fern

Large fern that resembles a tree and can reach heights of up to 65 ft; it grows mainly in the tropics.

trunk

Main part of the fern, composed of a vertical rhizome covered with the stubs of old fronds and, often, with aboveground adventitious roots.

bird’s nest fern

Fern that usually grows out of another plant without deriving nourishment from it; its fronds grow in a rosette around a central rhizome, hence its name.

common polypody

Fern with fronds up to a foot long; it is usually found in damp overgrown soil, on rocks or tree trunks.