What is on the underside of a fern leaf?

What is on the underside of a fern leaf?

Fern spores are the tiny genetic bases for new plants. They are found contained in a casing, called sporangia, and grouped into bunches, called sori, on the underside of the leaves. Spores look like little dots and may be harvested for fern spore propagation by the intrepid gardener.

What part of a fern produces spores?

The fern life cycle Mature plants produce spores on the underside of the leaves. When these germinate they grow into small heart-shaped plants known as prothalli. Male and female cells are produced on these plants and after fertilisation occurs the adult fern begins to develop.

Why are spores on the underside of ferns?

Each sporangium is a capsule that contains spores. They are usually aggregated into clusters called sori. The position and arrangement of the sporangia are very important for the identification of ferns. Fronds that have sporangia on their underside are fertile, and those that don’t are sterile.

What are the spores clusters found on the underside of the fern called?

sorus, plural sori, in botany, brownish or yellowish cluster of spore-producing structures (sporangia) usually located on the lower surface of fern leaves. A sorus may be protected during development by a scale or flap of tissue called an indusium.

What are the rust colored structures on the underside of these fern leaves called?

These neat clusters of dots on the backs of fern foliage are spores, and it is the method by which ferns reproduce. So these dots are a good thing – they tell you that your fern is happy, and virile!

Where do spore cases reside on ferns?

They are usually located on the backs of the fern leaf which is called a frond. The spore cases (sori) are arranged in dots or lines. Each sorus has several to hundreds of spore cases and each spore case produces 64 spores or more in the most primitive groups of ferns.

How do ferns spread spores?

The dispersal of spores in ferns (Tracheophyta) takes place through the wind. The wind can carry the spores a great distance to find regions not yet populated. Animals can also be responsible for the dispersal of fern spores, but this is not as common as the wind bringing spores from place to place.

What is the fern sporophyte?

Plants we see as ferns or horsetails are the sporophyte generation. The sporophyte generally releases spores in the summer. Spores must land on a suitable surface, such as a moist protected area to germinate and grow into gametophytes.

Are the spores produced by the fern sporophyte formed by meiosis or mitosis?

Unlike some other non-flowering vascular plants, ferns produce one type of spore (homosporous) via meiosis in the sac-like sporangia. Within each sporangium, the diploid spores (spore mother cells or sporocytes) undergo meiosis.

What are the small structures on the underside of fern leaves?

Individual spores are encased in structures called sporangia, which are the dots that appear on the underside of fern fronds. The sporangia have caps called indusia that contain the spores until they reach maturity.

What are the brown spots on the underside of fern leaves?

What are the brown dots on my fern? JANE: The short answer is – nothing to worry about! These neat clusters of dots on the backs of fern foliage are spores, and it is the method by which ferns reproduce. So these dots are a good thing – they tell you that your fern is happy, and virile!

Why do ferns produce spores on the underside of their leaves?

Instead of producing flowers that bear seeds to perpetuate the species, ferns produce spores on the undersides of their leaves. The end result is the same — ensuring successive generations of plants — but the method is different. Ferns do not need pollinators such as birds and bees for their sexual reproduction.

What kind of spores are on a maidenhair fern?

The tiny fronds of maidenhair spleenwort ferns bear few linear sori on their undersides. Note the tiny black spores resting on the frond. Asplenium trichomanes ssp. densum, Forest and Kim Starr, Starr Environmental, Bugwood.org.

What kind of structure does a fern have?

Ferns can have some very unusual forms and structures. The following describes fern structure and forms that people typically encounter. The leaves of ferns are often called fronds. Fronds are usually composed of a leafy blade and petiole (leaf stalk). Leaf shape, size, texture and degree of complexity vary considerably from species to species.

What do the dots on a fern frond mean?

Spores. Mature ferns develop as the result of two separate generations, comprising two distinctly different plants. Recognizable ferns are the sexless second generation that produces spores. Individual spores are encased in structures called sporangia, which are the dots that appear on the underside of fern fronds.