Long strap fern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Long strap fern |
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| Clump of Campyloneurum phyllitidis growing at the Matthei Botanical Gardens | |
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Cyrtophlebium phyllitidis (L.) J. Sm. |
The long strap fern (scientific name: Campyloneurum phyllitidis) is a type of fern. It belongs to the Polypodiaceae family. This fern is known for its long, strap-like leaves.
Contents
Where the Long Strap Fern Lives
The long strap fern grows in many parts of the Americas. You can find it from North America all the way to South America.
Countries Where It Grows
In the north, it lives in Florida, the Caribbean, and southeastern Mexico. Further south, it is found in tropical Peru, Brazil, and Paraguay.
Other places where this fern is native include the Southeastern United States, Cuba, Costa Rica, Bolivia, and Venezuela. It also grows in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the Virgin Islands. The fern is very common on Barro Colorado Island in Panama.
What the Long Strap Fern Looks Like
The long strap fern is an epiphyte. This means it grows on other plants, usually trees. It does not take nutrients from the tree. Instead, it uses the tree for support.
Fern Structure
This fern has a large rhizome. A rhizome is like a stem that grows underground or along the surface. Many thin rootlets grow from this rhizome. These roots are covered in dark reddish-brown scales.
Leaves and Sori
The leaves of the long strap fern are simple in shape. They do not have any hairs. Each leaf can be about 45 to 100 centimeters (18 to 39 inches) long. They are also about 8 to 12 centimeters (3 to 5 inches) wide.
The sori are small and round. Sori are clusters of spores, which are how ferns reproduce. You can find these sori on both sides of the veins on the underside of the leaves.
Trees It Grows On
The long strap fern often grows on specific types of trees. These include Platypodium elegans, Ceiba pentandra, Tabebuia guayacan, Anacardium excelsum, Socratea exorrhiza, Marila laxiflora, and Perebea xanthochyma.
How People Use the Long Strap Fern
People often grow the long strap fern as an ornamental plant. This means it is grown for its beauty in gardens or homes. It is the most common type of Campyloneurum fern grown by people.
Growing Conditions
This fern grows best in soil that drains water well. It also likes medium amounts of light. If you grow it, you need to protect it from slugs and snails.
History in Gardens
The long strap fern was very popular in England during the Victorian era. This was a time when many people loved collecting and growing ferns. This trend was even called pteridomania, or "fern madness." A writer from that time, Shirley Hibberd, said the fern was "very distinct." He also wrote that it looked "striking" when grown well.
See also
In Spanish: Calaguala de Venezuela para niños
