Hard Fern, Blechnum spicant
Hard fern, growing in the Forest of Dean, this is the most basic form of pant where there is a beginning of specialisation into photosynthetic areas and reproductive areas. The lower leaves in a circle are totally dedicated to photosynthesis whereas the central more upright leaves, whilst still being photosynthetic, they also have spores on the undersides, and so also are involved in reproduction. This is the first split which will evolve into plants with leaves and flowers.
Size: 4752px × 3168px
Location: Forest of Dean Gloucestershire England.
Photo credit: © Alan Waterman / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: blechnum, differentiation, fern, field, function., hard, heathland, lanceolate, layer, leaf, leaves, litter, primitive, , specialization, spicant, tufted, types, waterman, woodland
