Ferns
	Description	Ferns are green plants which can capture energy from the sun through photosynthesis. They do not have seeds, but instead simply use spores to reproduce. They are sometimes described as "living fossils" because they have hardly changed at all over millions of years. Each new fern grows by unrolling in a mystical manner.
	Reproduction The Hart's-tongue spores, above, are grouped together on the underside of the leaf, in groups known as "sori".	Ferns can reproduce sexually or by vegetative process. Sexual Reproduction When spores fall onto wet ground they grow into heart-shaped structures which contain male and female reproductive parts. The male cells swim through a thin layer of water to the female cell. When the male cell has fused with the female cell, a new fern starts to grow. Vegetative Reproduction This happens when a new fern develops directly out of the adult plant.
	Examples of Ferns	Hart's Tongue This fern is called Hart's tongue, because it is the same shape as the long tongue of a deer (commonly known as a hart, in Old English). It grows in woods, hedgerows and on shady walls or rocks. The fronds (leaves) can grow up to 60 cm. They gradually taper to a fine point, and have a heart-shaped base. Spores ripen throughout July and August.   Moonwort The preferred habitat of Moonwort, is dry heaths and downs. Moonwort is widely distributed throughout Great Britain and Ireland. In the Highlands of Scotland it can grow on mountains up to 1000 m.   Male Fern This grows into large clumps. It loves damp woods, hedgerows and other shady places throughout Britain. The fronds (leaf-like structures) can grow to 90 cm in length. They have pale scales on their stems. The spore capsules are round and flat, and have a kidney-shaped flap covering the entrance. On each of the larger leaf division, there are five or six capsules. The spores ripen throughout July and August.
	Folklore	Ferns have been put to many magical uses in the Britain and Ireland since ancient times. The strange and mysterious forms of these plants led many people to believe they held special powers - in some places ferns were known as 'the plant of a thousand miracles'. People used to believe that if a person carried fern spores, they would become invisible.
	The roots of Male Fern were dug up on St John's Eve, and carved into the shape of a hand. The hand-shaped root was then baked in an oven, and carried as charm to ward off evil witches and spirits. The unusual looking Moonwort was thought to be very special. Sometimes, it's half-closed leaflet is shaped like a crescent moon. People thought it copied the changing appearance of the moon in the night sky. Country folk thought that Moonwort could remove horses' shoes if they stepped on it, and that it could undo locks of stable doors and houses. This was probably because the leafy segments of Moonwort look like little keys. Some believed that it could turn mercury into silver. Many folk thought that fairies used its little leaves as saddles for tiny horses.
	Fun Fact	The Maidenhair Spleenwort is a fern, so-named in medieval times, because it is long and thin, and looks a little bit like a maiden's plaits.