Pteridophytes (Spore Producing Plants: Ferns and More) • Earth.com

Tangle fern

(Gleichenia dicarpa)

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en

Description

G. dicarpa consists of numerous fronds arising more or less vertically from a thin many branched rhizome. Each frond can reach 2 m (7 ft) in length with pinnae up to 4 cm (1.6 in) long. The smallest end-branches, known as pinnules, are a mere 1 to 1.5 mm long and recurved margins that give them a cup- or pouch shape. In fertile fronds, two spores lie within the pouch. It is these pouches which give the fern its common name.The spores are yellowish and darken to black when ripe. Fronds growing in sunnier areas often have a bleached yellow coloration.

Taxonomic tree:

Domain:
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum:
Class: Polypodiopsida
Order:Gleicheniales
Family:Gleicheniaceae
Genus:Gleichenia
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