Fern
Ferns are among the most ancient groups of higher seedless plants. Genera in ferns has about 300 and about 10,000 species. These plants are distributed around the globe, are found in various places, even in Kiev hotels. Many species of fern forest grow in our climate zone, but the greatest diversity found among tropical ferns.
Many ferns are decorative, so among the potted plants fern flower is quite popular. About 2,000 species of these plants can be grown as house ferns.
Fern – a plant is very interesting. There are ferns, grassy, tree, ground and water. Grow in the forests, meadows and swamps, but the greatest diversity occurs in tropical rain forests. It is from this group of plants is a big part of home-ferns. Some ferns, in our climatic zone is winter-hardy species, growing in open ground, like a fern garden.
Most of the fern forest (classic fern) has rosette of feathery leaves, which are called vayami. In many species of ferns are large pinnatisect, but there are ferns and with whole leaf plates, both large and small, lanceolate, and rounded. Wai grow from the top of the rhizome, which can be as long or very short. Fern consists of the stem, turning into rachis (stem). On the spine are feathers (leaves). Vai has the shape of the cochlea, which as they grow slowly unwinds. At the bottom of the list of most ferns is SORUS (set of sporangia – reproductive organs, which are formed and mature spores), but there is a viviparous species.
In all countries where it grows ferns, are connected with it numerous signs and legends. Fern endowed (and still give) the magical power to tame the forces of evil, to protect the house from the storm. Slavs with ferns associated one of the most beautiful legends. It is believed that the fern blooms only one night a year (at Midsummer). See, much less take over the flower of fern, not given to everyone, but if you’re so lucky, the fern will indicate the place where the treasure is buried, and (if appropriate) can make the owner of the fern blossom invisible. While blooms ferns, there are various miracles, it is a pity that so far have not met the witnesses who have seen it blossom with my own eyes.
Legends of the fern does not give rest to the filmmakers. In 1974, there was a film shot in USA – “Flower of the red fern”, is expected to yield the Russian film “Until flowering fern.”
Some ferns are edible (eg, young shoots kochedyzhnika, bracken fern one species). In the Korean and Chinese cuisine salad fern popular dish. For him, use the young shoots of bracken dried and salted.
Some ferns have medicinal properties (eg, male fern), but among them there are poisonous species.
Ferns. TYPES.
From the variety of ferns mention the most common pets (indoor ferns), fern garden, a fern forest, which is used as a medicine and aquarium fern.
From home more often than other ferns found room flower maidenhair (Adiantum). He comes from tropical America. There are several varieties of this plant. The most famous of maidenhair “Venus Hair» (A. capillus-veneris), which grows wild in Britain. The most unpretentious Ruddy maidenhair (A. raddianum), and is considered the most beautiful delicate maidenhair (A. tenerum tarleyense). All of these have short brittle maidenhair petiole black, reminiscent of the wire. Leaflets are small, rounded wedge-shaped segments are growing.
Another common fern room – Nephrolepis (Nephrolepis). Homeland – tropical America. Nephrolepis has several varieties. This is a beautiful, large fern. In most other indoor horticulture growing Nephrolepis (N. exaltata bostoniensis), which launched in Boston (USA). Boston ferns have long, arcuate, drooping Vai, with beautiful wavy leaves. Another representative of this group of ferns Nephrolepis lofty room (N. exaltata) different vertical growing vayami that eventually droop down. The leaves are tough light green color.
If the leaves look delicate Nephrolepis, the fern platitseriuma – flathorn (Platycerium) resemble the horns of an elk. Birthplace of the plant tropical Australia and tropical Africa. Platitserium – epiphyte, has two types of leaves: one placed horizontally and closely adhere to the substrate. They are sterile and support fern, others are directed vertically – this is fertile Vai, they are used for breeding.
Fern in the house can be used not only as the flower room, but also to decorate the aquarium. The most commonly used two types of aquatic ferns: a fern Indian water (Ceratopteris thalictroides) and fern Thai or pterygoid (Microsorum pteropus). The height of the Indian Fern about 50 cm, leaves delicate, tender, light green color. Suitable for aquariums with a water temperature not lower than 20 degrees.
Fern Thai or pterygoid (Microsorum pteropus), has bright green, long leaves. It grows well in aquariums with water temperature not lower than +24-26 degrees, with enough light.
All ferns like high humidity, but there is a fern that thrives in dry air – this fern pelleya (Pellaea).
As a fern garden often use wood fern, which grows in our climate zone in the spruce and fir-leaved forests, oak forests and scrub spruce. He likes damp places, deep shadow, so these ferns in the garden feel well in damp places, under trees.
Among the numerous species of ferns, fern garden as most other common fern ostrich feather or strausnik ordinary (Matteucia struthiopteris) – This fern is beautiful. His Vai light green, up to 1.5 m, sterile, upright growing leaves form a handsome bunch, and the spore-bearing leaves are shorter, are placed inside the beam. The plant is not too fastidious, grows in shade and sun, but demanding on soil moisture. Zimostoek. In winter the leaves die off sterile and fertile winter. In the spring of them poured mature spores, which germinate and give life to new plants.
As a fern garden and grow this type of forest fern or fern like kochedyzhnik female (Athyrium filix femina Roth), grows in the forest zone of North America and Eurasia. Color fern female – light green, delicate leaves, strongly dissected, the base of petioles triangular. The root of the fern female tolerates the winter, and all the leaves die off. From spring through the summer growing new leaves, so the plant looks always green and fresh. Kochedyzhnik can grow long in one place, multiply disputes, which mature on the back side of the leaves.
Another resident of the forest, which is often grown as a fern garden – a male fern Dryopteris or another male (Dryopteris filix mas). Very often in forests growing in tandem with the female fern, but it looks rougher, as befits a man. Color of male fern – dark green. Leaf blade oblong-elliptic (in contrast to other species). Petiole densely covered with rusty-brown scales, swollen at the base of the underground. Sporangia on the underside of leaves collected in piles, which are covered with kidney-shaped bract (the female fern is oblong calyx).
The leaves grow slowly, developing from buds on the top of the rhizome, which in the second year of development taking shape characteristic of ferns and snails only in the third year of the snail grows a full sheet of paper on which the mature spores. After the fall of the leaf dies, but the petiole remains on the rhizome. Male fern root is large, thick. The underground stem is joined are cylindrical in shape and located on the rhizome like tiles with thin brown particles between them.
Rhizome Dryopteris used as anthelminthic for tapeworms. Curative extract prescribed in gelatin capsules of 0.5 grams. In the treatment of male fern recipe using the following: the day before the drug dieting and taking saline laxative. The next day, for 30 minutes, give (adults) 2-8 oz. preparation and after 2 hours again give a saline cathartic. If necessary, treatment can be repeated a week later. The highest single dose of the extract of male fern for adults – 8 grams.
MA Nosal, in his book “Medicinal Plants and their ways of the people” as a laxative recommends to use castor oil, but not before and not later than 5 hours after ingestion of bracken, otherwise you may receive blindness. As you see, is not so simple. If any treatment is necessary to consult a doctor.
Much less often as a garden fern bracken fern grow (Pteridium aquilium), which is not uncommon in the birch and pine forests where it grows everywhere. Prefers light soil and bright open spaces. Bracken fern root has a strong, growing horizontally in four directions. Through this arrangement the roots, bracken grows easily and takes up all available space. The leaves of bracken thick and stiff, lie on strong, long stem of a triangular cross section, have a peculiar smell. A characteristic feature is the presence of bracken nectaries that secrete sweetish fluid.
