Eco-USA: Nature: Ferns

Ferns 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.

Adder's-tongue Fern Bahama Ladder Brake Boston Fern Broad Beech Fern Bulblet Fern Chain Fern, Giant Christmas Fern Cinnamon Fern Cliff Brake, Purple Cloak Fern, Wavy Deer Fern Ebony Spleenwort Fragile Fern Giant Chain Fern Hay-scented Fern Inland Leather Fern Interrupted Fern Ladder Brake, Bahama Lady Fern Leather Fern, Interrupted Licorice Fern Long Strap Fern Maidenhair Fern, Northern New York Fern Northern Maidenhair Fern Oak Fern Purple Cliff Brake River Fern Royal Fern Sensitive Fern Spleenwort, Ebony Strap Fern, Long Walking Fern Wavy Cloak Fern