Fern reproduction

Our Dryopteris plants are magnificent and healthy at the moment, and upon closer inspection on the backs of the pinnules (those shown here are only 1cm in length) are the multitudes of indusia, little umbrellas covering several spore capsules or sporangia.

Some can just about be seen peeping out. Inside are the thousands of spores which will blow away and begin the cycle of reproduction for the fern.

As time continues, more of the sporangia should be revealed in a fan shape, as the indusium dries. I'll try and blip these too.

So it just goes to show that ferns need umbrellas too.