What is a Fern?

A fern is a seedless vascular plant which also does not flower. The fronds of ferns pop up in environments all over the world, and all told, thousands of species of plant are classified within the phylum Pteridophyta, which encompasses all of the ferns. In addition to growing wild, the fern is also used as an ornamental plant by humans. Some species of fern provide a source of food, as well. The fern appears to be one of the earliest vascular plants. Vascular plants have a complex network of veins used to carry water and nutrients throughout the plant as it grows. The evolution of vascular plants such as the fern was an important step in plant history, since it allowed plants to make the jump from algae and small undifferentiated structures to things like flowering plants and trees. Plants which are recognizable as ferns first appeared millions of years ago. Ferns were especially dominant during the Carboniferous era, most often in the form of giant tree ferns. As the plants died, ...  more