Unusual Fern tree

[SP1986]

I havent got time to post the pic up now, so i'll do it later, but I came across a fern tree seedling today. I was quite shocked as I know our climate has warmed enough to sustain fern plants, but not fern trees. Fern trees are found in maritime subtropical rainforests like Northern New Zealand, southern Australia etc (that type of climate) but for them to be found down the road was staggering. The main difference between fern trees and fern plants is that the slow rate of growth of a fern plant makes it unable to grow a trunk (which is largely dependant on climate, and so fern plants tend to grow all over the place like weeds), whereas the fern tree has the appearance of a palm tree from an early stage (ie leaves branching from a centre point). Ferns are very like palm in growth, and indeed palm plants grow in subtropical areas, whereas palm trees (apart from a few species), cant grow naturally as trees outside tropical areas so the same theory applies.

Interesting though to see that - perhaps grown under the influence of the warmth of the last month, or maybe a consequence of a changing climate?

[Hiya]

Interesting, looking forward to a pic.

Was it just somewhere random or was there somewhere it could have came from? Spores I mean.

[SP1986]

Interesting, looking forward to a pic.

Was it just somewhere random or was there somewhere it could have came from? Spores I mean.

Good question, Well the air flow of the last few days has been mixed and has at times in the past month originated from the Azores (which does also grow fern trees, so there is a possibility of spores flying over in the airmass.

I wonder whether theyll spread like wildfire now?

Anyway ill get the picture for you around 10pm, its still very young, but you can see the growth pattern, its really cool

[SP1986]

This is the difference between the two.. (these are general reference pictures of the web)

Below are two pictures:

1) This is a fern plant (or the common fern)

Notice how the growth is quite erratic, and it tends to be all over the place in growth.

2) This is a tree fern seedling

Notice how, like palm trees it grows from the centre of the trunk, although as it is a seedling, the truck does not often appear for a couple of months/years after.

Although picture 2 does show the tree fern seedling, that is a bit further on than the one I saw.

pictures from:

http://www.mun.ca/botgarden/images/content/55-444052287.jpg

http://www.apstas.com/blechnumnud.jpg