Common Name: Walking Fern Scientific Name: Asplenium rhizophyllum Distribution: Mostly east of the Mississippi; as far south as northern Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi. Notes: Most often found on limestone or similar rock. The distal ends of the fronds can attach to the growing surface and take root, forming a new plant. Thus it appears to "walk" across the surface of the rock over time. |
FERNS are vascular plants that contain xylem and phloem. They were the first vascular plants to have roots, stems, and leaves. However, they do not have flowers or seeds. Instead, they use spores to reproduce. The earliest known ferns appear in fossils that are about 350 million years old. Ferns are not as prevalent as they were before flowering plants evolved, but there are still more than 10,000 species of ferns in the world. Of those, about 400 species occur in the United States. Links Books |
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