Ferns reproduce through an alternation of generations, where they have both a sporophyte and gametophyte stage. The sporophyte produces spores that grow into the gametophyte plant, which produces eggs and sperm. When an egg is fertilized by sperm, it grows into a new sporophyte plant, completing the life cycle. Ferns reproduce using these spores rather than flowers, fruits, or seeds. They have sori clusters on their leaves undersides that contain sporangia holding the reproductive spores.

1. Ferns are vascular plants that do not produce seeds.
Ferns
Erinio Mahusay
College Of Education
Botany Class

2. Learning Outcomes
Expected that, at the end of discussion 100% of the student, are going to cope up
the topic;
 To distinguish the different forms of ferns allies (classified with ferns)
 how the life cycle of ferns being process
 To discuss how ferns are being reproduced or their reproduction

3. Ferns
Modern ferns are descended from some of
the oldest plants on Earth. They are
believed to have arisen between 420-360
million years ago. Their phylogeny is as
follows:
• Domain-Eukarya (their cells contain
nuclei)
• Kingdom-Plantae (they contain chlorophyll
for photosynthesis and cell walls)
• Division-Pteridophyta (also called
Polypodiophyta when used as a part of
Tracheophyta or vascular plants)
• Class-Pteridopsida
• Order-Athyriales (one of the largest)

4. Ferns
Ferns are seedless, vascular
tissue
Two type of tissue;
• Xylem is responsible for
moving water and nutrients
throughout the plant.
• Phloem is responsible for
moving glucose throughout
the plant
Ferns reproduce by an
alternation of generation.

5. Fern Allies
• Largely due to having a similar appearance and way of reproducing
themselves, a group called the “fern allies” is classified with the
ferns.
• These allies are a diverse group of interesting plants.
• although more recent research has shown that these plants are not
as closely related to ferns as scientists previously thought.

6. Club mosses
• Low growing, creeping, and
typically green year-round.
• These plants are commonly
called “ground cedar” or
“princess pine” because they
look so similar to young
evergreen trees.
• Club mosses only ever grow to
be a few inches in height,
however, and are found most
commonly in richly wooded
areas.

7. Horsetails:
• Found only around water, these plants
have hollow stems that will pop off into
segments if pulled.
• These plants have a great deal of silica,
a hard chemical compound that is in
rocks such as quartz and sand, in their
tissues, which makes them rough.
• Because of this quality, they were once
used to scrub dishes and clothing,
earning them the nickname “scouring
rush.”

8. Quillworts:
• Mostly aquatic, and typically fully
submerged in water, these plants
have leaves which are hollow and
resemble porcupine quills.
• These plants are small, and look a
lot like small onion or chive plants.
• Many species of quillwort are very
rare, although quillworts can be
found all across the world.

9. Spikemosses:
• Found almost exclusively in
the tropics, spikemosses
resemble mosses more than
they do ferns.
• Plants of this grouping can be
brilliantly iridescent, or shiny
in the sunlight, and also have
incredible drought resistance.

10. Ferns
Ferns are only capable of primary
growth i.e. growing upward.
• They do not increase in diameter,
a type of growth known as
secondary growth.
• This primary growth occurs at the
tips of the plants shoots and
roots within areas called apical
meristems

11. Fiddleheads:
• First, there’s the distinct way in which many
fronds, or fern leaves, unfurl.
• Young fronds, called fiddleheads because of
their striking resemblance to the head of a
violin, start out tightly curled at the base of
the root.

12. Rhizome, or Rootstock:
• This part of the plant is
responsible for producing roots,
which take up nutrients and
water from the soil.
• Fern rhizomes can be very thin
and creeping, or thick and
stocky.

13. Stalk, Stipe, or Stem:
• This is the part of the fern that
connects the root of the plant
to the blade, or the leafy part of
the plant.
• Its function is almost entirely
support, however it may also be
photosynthetic.

14. Frond, Leaf, or Blade:
• This is the part of the frond
which bears leaflets or
pinnae.
• This part of the plant is
responsible for performing
photosynthesis.
• Spores are also typically
produced on the underside of
the blade.

15. Life Cycle of Ferns

16. Life Cycle
The life cycle of the fern has two
different stages;
• sporophyte, which releases
spores,
• and gametophyte, which
releases gametes.
• Gametophyte plants are haploid,
sporophyte plants diploid. This
type of life cycle is called
alternation of generations.

18. Concept
All non-seed plants reproduce from spores with an alternation of
generations, an unfamiliar concept to most
• The two generations are:
• The diploid sporophyte plant that produces tiny, microscopic spores
and
• The haploid gametophyte plant that produces eggs and sperms
• .When an egg is fertilized by a sperm, the fertilized egg, now again
diploid grows into
• A new sporophyte plant

19. Sporophyte
Another way to tell if a plant is a
fern is to look at its reproductive
structures.
• If it has a flower, fruit, or seed-
it’s not a fern!
• All ferns, and many fern
relatives, reproduce using
spores, or tiny living single cells.
• sporophyte, which releases
spores, andgametophyte, which
releases gametes.

20. Sori Clusters
• On the underside of fern
leaves, sori are formed.
• They are clumps of
sporangia holding
reproductive spores.

21. Gametophyte
• Gametophyte plants are
haploid, sporophyte plants
diploid. This type of life
cycle is called alternation
of generations.

23. Daghang Salamat!!!
Ferns are vascular plants that do not produce seeds.
Ferns