Block A (Alex, Brenda and Julia) 

Presentation: Ferns
Jeopardy Game: Jeopardy

Block C (Riley, Meaghen, Maya, Brittney, Paisley and Sierra)  

Presentation: Fern Structure and Functions (Block C)
Review Sheet with Answers: Fern Review Sheet Questions answers.

Pteropsida (Ferns) (Summary) 

Pteropsida, the ferns, are one of the first plants to have developed vascular tissue (xylem and phloem). Plants with vascular tissue are part of phylum Tracheophyta. These vascular tissue allow water, nutrients and sugars to be transported around the plant, allowing the plant to grow away from water and grow taller. Therefore, plants with vascular tissue are considered “true” land plants. However, as we will see, ferns are still somewhat dependent on water, as they still require water for reproduction. 

Structure and Function 

• Frond – the visible part of the plant, the leaves. Note that unlike in algae and moss, these fronds are considered true leaves, since they have vascular tissue
• Rhizome – creeping underground stems. (Note: RHIZOMES ARE NOT THE ROOTS OF FERNS) they are stems, their job is to anchor the fern to the ground.
• Roots – true roots. For water and nutrient absorption.
• Cuticle – a waxy layer on the top of leaves that help it to retain water
• Vascular Tissue 
  • Xylem – transports water and nutrients upwards
  • Phloem – transports sugars up and down to everywhere the plant needs to go
• Sorus (pl. Sori) – dots found on the underside of fronds. They are defined as a cluster of many many sporangia (sing. sporangium). These sporangia produce spores

Sori on the underside of the fern.

Fern Reproduction 

1. The prothallus is the gametophyte (haploid, multicellular) stage of the fern life cycle. It is very small and rarely seen. On the underside, are the
   • Antheridium: produces sperm cells (N)
   • Archegonium: produces egg cells (N)
2. Egg (N) fuses with sperm (N), creating zygote (2N). The zygote develops into multicellular embryo (2N), which then develops into the sporophyte. The sporophyte stage is the stage which we think of as “ferns”
3. Sporophyte (2N) contains Sori, on its underside, which are clusters of sporangia.
4. Each sporangium is responsible for producing spores via meiosis. The spores are therefore haploid.
5.  The spores (N) develop into the haploid multicellular gametophyte: the prothallus.