Common finger-fern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Finger fern |
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| Finger Fern in the rainforest below the summit of Mount Imlay, Australia The pale green plants are moss | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Notogrammitis
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| Species: |
billardierei
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| Synonyms | |
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Grammitis australis |
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The common finger-fern or strap fern is a small plant. Its scientific name is Notogrammitis billardierei. This fern grows in places with lots of rain. You can find it in south-east Australia and New Zealand.
It is a very common plant. It often grows on tree branches or logs. Sometimes, it even grows on rocks. These places are usually in or near rainforests.
What Does the Finger Fern Look Like?
The finger fern has long, thin leaves. They look a bit like straps. Each leaf is usually 5 to 15 centimeters long. That's about the length of your hand.
The leaves are also about 10 millimeters wide. This is roughly the width of your finger. Sometimes, the end of a leaf can be a bit wider than its base. These fern leaves are also called fronds.
How Does it Reproduce?
Ferns do not have flowers or seeds. Instead, they reproduce using tiny spores. These spores are held in special cases called sporangia.
The sporangia grow in groups. These groups are called sori (pronounced "SO-rye"). You can find the sori on the underside of the fern's fronds.
Unlike some other ferns, the sori on the finger fern are not round. They are long and thin. They grow in patterns that are not always the same.
Who Named This Fern?
A famous scientist named Carl Ludwig Willdenow gave this fern its name. He was from Germany. He named the species after a French naturalist.
The naturalist's name was Jacques Labillardière. He was a very important person in natural history. He studied plants and animals.
