Sierra marsh fern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sierra marsh fern |
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The Sierra marsh fern is a type of fern also known as the Sierra wood fern or Nevada marsh fern. Its scientific name is Parathelypteris nevadensis, but it's also known as Thelypteris nevadensis. This plant grows in the western parts of North America.
About the Sierra Marsh Fern
This fern is found in places like British Columbia in Canada, and down to the mountains of northern California in the United States. It also grows in two spots in Idaho.
Where It Lives
The Sierra marsh fern loves wet, shady places. You can often find it in damp forests, along the edges of streams, in open meadows, and in areas where water seeps out of the ground. Even though its name includes "Nevada," it doesn't actually grow in the state of Nevada. It was named after the Sierra Nevada mountains, where it does live.
What It Looks Like
This fern grows in a thick bunch of long, feathery leaves. These leaves can grow to be up to one meter (about three feet) long! The plant has special underground stems called rhizomes. These rhizomes help the fern spread out and sometimes form large groups or "colonies" of ferns.
When winter comes, the leaves of the Sierra marsh fern die back. But don't worry, they grow back again in the spring! Each big leaf is made up of many smaller leaflets. These leaflets have even tinier parts along their edges. If you look at the underside of the leaves, you might notice they feel a bit sticky and have tiny bumps. They can also be a little bit hairy.
