Sensitive fern: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article

Sensitive fern

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	Sensitive fern
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	Topics Sensitive fern Topic Home The Sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis), also known as the Bead fern, is a coarse-textured, medium to large-sized perennial fernFern A fern is any one of a group of about 20,000 species of plants classified in the phylum or division Pteridophyta, also... . The name comes from the observation by early American settlers that it was very sensitive to frost, the frondFrond A frond is the breast- like structure of a fern or alga.... s dying quickly when first touched by it. It is the sole species in the monotypic genus *Onoclea. The sterile and fertile fronds of this fern are quite different. The bright, yellow-green sterile fronds are deeply pinnatifid and are typically borne at intervals along a creeping rhizomeRhizome A rhizome* is, in botany, a usually underground, horizontal stem of a plant that often sends out roots and shoots from its no... . They grow to about 90 cm long, with a long, smooth stipeStipe (botany) In botany, a stipe is a supportive structure that may be stemlike, as in seaweed, or a true leaf stem, as in ferns.... . The fertile fronds are much smaller, non-green, and have very narrow pinnae. The soriSorus In ferns, a sorus is a cluster of sporangia on the edge or underside of a fertile frond.... are clustered like beads or grapes on the upright fertile fronds, hence the common name Bead fern. The fiddleheadFiddlehead Fiddlehead is a name referring either to a young fern or to the top part of immature fronds that appear curled.... s are a pale red color. This fern dwells in a variety of wet swamp and wood habitats: wet meadows, thickets and bogs, as well as stream and riverbanks and roadside ditches. It ranges from Newfoundland to FloridaFlorida Summary Florida is a U.S. state located in the southeastern United States.... and west to TexasTexas Texas is a state in both the Southern and Western region of the United States of America.... , North DakotaNorth Dakota North Dakota is a Midwestern state in the United States.... and ManitobaFacts About Manitoba Manitoba is one of Canada's provinces.... , but is also native to east AsiaAsia Asia is the largest and most populous continent or region, depending on the definition.... and has become naturalized in western EuropeEurope Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth.... . It grows best in a shaded or partially shaded area in a moist soil. The plant will tolerate wet soils and so can be used near water. Winter survival will be enhanced if the dried fronds are left on the plant through the winter. Sensitive ferns spread to form colonies and are often the first species to inhabit disturbed areas. They can become weedy if not sited properly. In shade it can tolerate dryer conditions, but if grown in full sun it practically needs to be soggy ground or the very edge of water.