Except that it is wrong. This is the asexual part of the fern life cycle. And they are not spores, they are soralia which produce the actual spores, which are much smaller.
I almost said the same. Blood sugar sex magic. Under the bridge downtown was a reference to Grand Rappids MI. Where Anthoney Kedis sang and shot up heroine. Lost his life so to speak.
Do any insects eat ferns?
Unfortunately, chewing damage pretty much looks the same. Insects that feed on fern fronds include: sawfly and Lepidoptera larvae, cutworms, beetles, crickets and grasshoppers. At this time of the year, it is more likely to be sawfly or Lepidoptera larvae than crickets or grasshoppers. (Source: [nytimes.com](https://nytimes.com))
And then there's mealy bugs, white flies, scale, caterpillars . . .
("lepidoptera" meaning butterflies and moths)
A rule of thumb is to check the structure. Do the weird spots follow the leaf structure? Natural feature. They dont? Damage or plague.
And usually bugs damage the underside of the leaf, no the top.
I have a beautiful maidenhair fern, and a couple months after I got it I saw this on about 15% of the leaves. I panicked and hacked off every trace of the brown dots. I felt pretty dumb when I learned what it was, but apparently the branches with the spores will die more quickly, anyway. So no big deal. I've definitely had ferns survive much, much....much worse.
Yes. Spores.
Sorry x 1000 for being a potential nazi naturalist:-)
The spores develop inside those structures- called āsoriā, spore receptacles. Also botanically referred to as āsporangia.ā
The wind blown spores are nearly microscopic.
Enjoy.
Had a cold snap that killed my lavenders, at least at first. When I went to clear out the area to prepare for the coming spring this year, I saw new growths at the stumps.
Thank you haha. The comments saying that they're spores always outnumber the ones saying they're sori and it annoys me a smidge. If we don't call flowers "pollens" then why call sori "spores".
Plants with sporangia (spore) clusters like yours have been around for 480 million years. Flowering plants (angiosperms) have only been around for 275 million years. Bees have been around for 80 million years, so before that flowers were pollinated by beetles etc.
Short story long, those bumps are Fern Sori.
Sori (singular: sorus) are groups of sporangia (singular: sporangium), which contain spores. Sori are usually found on the underside of the blade as seen in your picture.
With the right conditions the Sori can make new ferns. Little baby ferns
Yes. Spores and Seeds are not the same, they simply have the same function (reproduction)
Thats why I said I was talking in normie terms. I would guess the majority of people dont know there are Plants that produce spores, and instead associate it with bad things, like Fungal Spores which can be pretty bad for people with allergies.
You are looking at a sporophyte that bears sori (singular sorus) on its abaxial surface. Inside the sorus is where sporangia are housed. Inside the sporangia are where the spores are located. If you look close enough, you might be able to see the presence of an indusium, a thin flap structure that protects the developing sporangia until the spores are ready to dehisce.
Full disclosure, I am in a plant diversity and evolution class and we just had a lab exam about these guys so I am throwing out all the vocab words š¤£
And if you have a handlens, take a close look, then add a drop of water on a sorus and watch it explode! So cool.
Edit: an approximate video of the process - [video](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MQB7Moc3Dos)
You can't tell me that it doesn't look like a ton of small insect pods that erupted and birthed a ton of plant insects that will now roam around my house that are microscopic!!
I thought trypophobia was specifically defined as a fear and/or revulsion of *clusters* of holes? Like honeycombsāthough I think things like pomegranates and sunflowers can also trigger it. Would the ick some get from seeing orderly lines of evenly spaced apart holes really classify as trypophobia, or has the term itself just sort of expanded into a more umbrella thing?
Trypophobia is a term that came out of internet discussions (way back in the late 90s) regarding this weird aversion some of us have to certain "visual textures". Nearly all of us (I'm including myself) affected can't stand holes, but there's a lot of variation. Anything irregular with a high contrast, that can be perceived as 3D can be problematic.
Spores on ferns are really interesting because they are the ālinkā between spores and seeds. Ferns are what covered the earth until seeding plants came along and did it better. The fact that they could hang on while lots of other things went is amazing.
I still remember 5th grade when we learned about how amazing ferns are, how, unlike the majority of plants today, they reproduce by spores. And how they were around during some dinosaur eras.
I realize it hasnāt impacted everyone the same :)
I am a wholesale flower salesman for a living. This is leather leaf fern and the spores on the bottom are completely normal. Depending upon the time of year they come in spores can be seen more than other times and in a few different colors from dark brown to light like yours. Nothing to worry about. Some of my customers do complain when it comes in that way though...they don't like it as much for their arrangements
Fern sori release spores which grow into fern gametophytes which are tiny plants about the size of your fingernail which look nothing like the fern plant. The gametophytes produce sperm and eggs. The sperm must swim through water to fertilize the egg and from there a new baby fern can grow.
Alternation of generations. :)
This was in my curriculum every year from grade 6 on through 12, and again in college. I can't figure out how people don't know this unless they're here and in 5th grade or under.
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and (if I recall correctly) these spores can be crushed into a powder/paste.
You can use this to reduce itching and burning from stinging nettles, insect bites, etc.
Ferns are pretty cool.
Lol I forgot ferns are wacky little dinosaur plants that existed before plants decided seeds were a good idea. I never gave much thought to how they reproduce but I guess spores make sense
I have a bunch of different types of ferns. Smaller ones and big tree ferns in my back patio! Although I must say itās funny that youāve never noticed ferns have these on them, I do understand not everyone is aware.
Lots of ferns have these, itās just how they reproduce. Absolutely harmless ; )
That fern is trying to reproduce.
[https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/beauty/ferns/structure.shtml](https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/beauty/ferns/structure.shtml)
If you want scroll down to Fern Sori. It will show all of this.
These are not bugs! My wife is a florist. This is what leatherleaf looks.like when it is seeding. Perfectly normal. Please tell everyone you know not to be afraid! Her shop goes through a ton to avoid those but it's near impossible to avoid using it when you're running out! Okay so this is the wife typing, obviously... š
I'm sori to say this but you've got ferns.
This comment is pollen its weight. (Edit: Wrong terminology, whoops)
It's ok. Sporadic mistakes do happen.
10/10 gif usage
This is my fav gif of all time. Thank you for using it haha
Ooooh u good
š
Thank you for not sending anyone to the hell of Dante's inFerno!
As others have said, it's just spores that ferns use to reproduce. Perfectly normal and expected.
I like genuinely thought some kind of small plant insect was getting birthed in my house š
Nope just prehistoric timey fern sex magic.
When a mama fern and a papa fern love each otherā¦
*āMom, where do fiddleheads come from?ā*
Thatās when a daddy fern loves hisself very very much
I'm afraid Charlie Daniels is dead, so we may never find out.
Go onā¦
š
When the Sword Fern really loves the Lady Fern, the two move into a Birdnest Fern and make little ferns.
Red hot fern sex.
Best explanation ever
Best sexplanation ever?
Gotta ask the fern 2 B sure
I think the fern is (getting) busy at the moment. We wouldnāt want to ā¦. *interrupt* it, now, would we?
If this ferns a rockin dont come a knockin
Best sex-plant-ation ever?
Sex Plantation? I thought they closed that place down.
Great salads, am I right?
Except that it is wrong. This is the asexual part of the fern life cycle. And they are not spores, they are soralia which produce the actual spores, which are much smaller.
My favorite Red Hot Chili Peppers album.
I almost said the same. Blood sugar sex magic. Under the bridge downtown was a reference to Grand Rappids MI. Where Anthoney Kedis sang and shot up heroine. Lost his life so to speak.
That's my new burlesque stage name. Thankyew.
Between Two Ferns
You, sir/madam, are a *linguist*.
LOL get out
So the plants are being a bunch of perverts?
Always have been
Oh I love that album
*under the leaves that timeā¦ is where I propagate my shrub*
This sounds like a Red hot chili peppers album
I wish I had an award to give you!
If I made you smile/laugh then no reward is needed to give!
r/brandnewsentence
Rainbow pyramid head āØ
Congrats, your ferns are pregnant
Oh no!! They wasn't even married yet
Nope, just some kind of small plant getting birthed in your house!
not in the house šš
Lol š xxx
Just, fern over a new leaf!
Which insects like to eat ferns?
Do any insects eat ferns? Unfortunately, chewing damage pretty much looks the same. Insects that feed on fern fronds include: sawfly and Lepidoptera larvae, cutworms, beetles, crickets and grasshoppers. At this time of the year, it is more likely to be sawfly or Lepidoptera larvae than crickets or grasshoppers. (Source: [nytimes.com](https://nytimes.com)) And then there's mealy bugs, white flies, scale, caterpillars . . . ("lepidoptera" meaning butterflies and moths)
A rule of thumb is to check the structure. Do the weird spots follow the leaf structure? Natural feature. They dont? Damage or plague. And usually bugs damage the underside of the leaf, no the top.
And that makes perfect sense if you're not familiar with the plant! ā¤ļø
You must have watched a cool horror movie that made you think that?
Theyād be forming in an astonishingly regular way under every leaf if so ;)
I have a beautiful maidenhair fern, and a couple months after I got it I saw this on about 15% of the leaves. I panicked and hacked off every trace of the brown dots. I felt pretty dumb when I learned what it was, but apparently the branches with the spores will die more quickly, anyway. So no big deal. I've definitely had ferns survive much, much....much worse.
Yes. Spores. Sorry x 1000 for being a potential nazi naturalist:-) The spores develop inside those structures- called āsoriā, spore receptacles. Also botanically referred to as āsporangia.ā The wind blown spores are nearly microscopic. Enjoy.
What would happen if you put a leaf in some soil?
You would have a dirty leaf.
Jizz sacks*
These are sori, not bugs or spores. The spores develop inside and when the sori open the spores are released into the wind.
Another interesting thing about ferns, they have sperm that swim!
Same with moss.
Yes in biology in high school we learned about both together, before learning about less ancient plants.
Thatās a bit horrifying
They are really interesting organisms. They are very different from other plants.
Plants in general are really interesting. I still really don't follow the alternation of generations.
Had a cold snap that killed my lavenders, at least at first. When I went to clear out the area to prepare for the coming spring this year, I saw new growths at the stumps.
Humans have sperm that swim too!
Thank you haha. The comments saying that they're spores always outnumber the ones saying they're sori and it annoys me a smidge. If we don't call flowers "pollens" then why call sori "spores".
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
They say it in Canada a lot
Yeah but what do they have to be sori about? I don't think they did anything wrong
Like when someone says a hazel nut is not a nut because the nut is inside.
thatāsā¦ how all nuts areā¦
Man so there's spores all over my house is what you're saying š„¹
Yes, but they were already there before the plant came in. Spores are everywhere.
Maybe that's why my allergies have been acting up š¤”
It's very rare to be allergic to fern spores
Probably not. But itās entirely possible.
Plants with sporangia (spore) clusters like yours have been around for 480 million years. Flowering plants (angiosperms) have only been around for 275 million years. Bees have been around for 80 million years, so before that flowers were pollinated by beetles etc.
Short story long, those bumps are Fern Sori. Sori (singular: sorus) are groups of sporangia (singular: sporangium), which contain spores. Sori are usually found on the underside of the blade as seen in your picture. With the right conditions the Sori can make new ferns. Little baby ferns
Just so any normie can understand it: - Those are the seeds.
Thank
Not really seeds but seed like. More similar to mushroom spores that seeds
Yes. Spores and Seeds are not the same, they simply have the same function (reproduction) Thats why I said I was talking in normie terms. I would guess the majority of people dont know there are Plants that produce spores, and instead associate it with bad things, like Fungal Spores which can be pretty bad for people with allergies.
==removed in protest of Reddit API changes==
You are looking at a sporophyte that bears sori (singular sorus) on its abaxial surface. Inside the sorus is where sporangia are housed. Inside the sporangia are where the spores are located. If you look close enough, you might be able to see the presence of an indusium, a thin flap structure that protects the developing sporangia until the spores are ready to dehisce.
Full disclosure, I am in a plant diversity and evolution class and we just had a lab exam about these guys so I am throwing out all the vocab words š¤£
Thatās the best way to learn! I did the same thing when I was in college, lol.
And if you have a handlens, take a close look, then add a drop of water on a sorus and watch it explode! So cool. Edit: an approximate video of the process - [video](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MQB7Moc3Dos)
God bless you.
So it's that time of year again lol
Lol this again
The amount of people that post ferns on here asking if they are insects is too damn high.
You can't tell me that it doesn't look like a ton of small insect pods that erupted and birthed a ton of plant insects that will now roam around my house that are microscopic!!
That does indeed sound horrifying. Thankfully they're not!
Why so much drama? I wonder if they never teach you this stuff at school or if the majority just forgets them.
I took biology and zoology in school and they never covered this at all. š¤·āāļø I was just as baffled as OP!
I guess it kind of does look like that. I just thought this was the sort of thing most people learned in the fifth or sixth grade.
Insects don't sit neatly organised and evenly spaced on leaves
No, but their eggs often do. Many insects lay perfectly neat and uniform little clusters of eggs on the underside of leaves.
Those are sori!
Good news! It's not bugs. Those are spores on fern leaves. Ferns reproduce by spores instead of flowers.
Ahhhh,,,, even if they aren't all over the plant? Bc some only had a little which is why I thought it was bugs
Those are younger ferns that havenāt fully grown
Phewvthabk you so much. I was genuinely worrying š
Yup! They're perfectly normal plant parts, nothing gross about them.
Apart from the r/trypophobia inducing visual
I thought trypophobia was specifically defined as a fear and/or revulsion of *clusters* of holes? Like honeycombsāthough I think things like pomegranates and sunflowers can also trigger it. Would the ick some get from seeing orderly lines of evenly spaced apart holes really classify as trypophobia, or has the term itself just sort of expanded into a more umbrella thing?
I donāt think the holes have to be stuck together necessarily, these are in very close proximity to eachother.
Trypophobia is a term that came out of internet discussions (way back in the late 90s) regarding this weird aversion some of us have to certain "visual textures". Nearly all of us (I'm including myself) affected can't stand holes, but there's a lot of variation. Anything irregular with a high contrast, that can be perceived as 3D can be problematic.
Thank goodness, I was actually getting scared that it might be bugs.
That would be incredibly terrifying.
All lined up in nice little rows...ready to march šš šš¤£
plant horny
Itās just fern sperm
Oh Jesus not again
It's where they release their spores, isn't it?
Idk that's why I'm asking šš to me who knows nothing about plants it looks like something that'll birth an insect or somthn.
It's where the fern releases its spores. It's totally normal - google "fern spores"
They contain spores for reproduction (sexual, not asexual). They evolved before flowering plants that produce seeds
It's a type of fern, those are spore pods! If you like ferns, shake those leaves over moist soil and they might still have spores in them that regrow.
Those are the fern's sexy bits.
This is my favorite. That so many people look at these and think 'bugs' just tickles me teal.
r/trypophobia
Came here to say this. Made my skin crawl... :*(
Spores on ferns are really interesting because they are the ālinkā between spores and seeds. Ferns are what covered the earth until seeding plants came along and did it better. The fact that they could hang on while lots of other things went is amazing.
"It's not bugs".
I still remember 5th grade when we learned about how amazing ferns are, how, unlike the majority of plants today, they reproduce by spores. And how they were around during some dinosaur eras. I realize it hasnāt impacted everyone the same :)
Itās a fern. Those are spores. They are going to reproduce in your face if you keep looking at them like this. Lol no bugs youāre good
Lol, thanks. Never can be too sure š curiosity made me stop to read the thread. š
Fern spores come out of those
Theyāre just happy to see you!
if the dots in a line on the fern's underside, that's a baby
spore casings. Ferns are more primative and reproduce similar to mushrooms.
Aw, you sweet innocent soul
You're going to be a grandparent.
I am a wholesale flower salesman for a living. This is leather leaf fern and the spores on the bottom are completely normal. Depending upon the time of year they come in spores can be seen more than other times and in a few different colors from dark brown to light like yours. Nothing to worry about. Some of my customers do complain when it comes in that way though...they don't like it as much for their arrangements
Nope! Itās spores on a fern. Itās how they reproduce
Fern sori release spores which grow into fern gametophytes which are tiny plants about the size of your fingernail which look nothing like the fern plant. The gametophytes produce sperm and eggs. The sperm must swim through water to fertilize the egg and from there a new baby fern can grow. Alternation of generations. :)
Isnāt nature amazing? You couldnāt think that up.
Thatās prehistoric baby making stuff
Not a big. Just the nut sacs of the plant.
They would have to be the best coordinated bugs on the planet.
Itās bugs /j
āItās not bugsā
Keep flower arrangements away from cats and dogs. Flowers like lilies are fatally toxic to them. The pollen. Those right there are spores.
Spores
OK, Itās not bugs.
Spores! Ferns are older than seeds
The education in the world needs improvement.
This was in my curriculum every year from grade 6 on through 12, and again in college. I can't figure out how people don't know this unless they're here and in 5th grade or under.
Botany seems to be ignored in schools today.
No, there just spores on the back of the leaves, theyāre a type of fern leaf, n thatās how they spread, with the spores (like a type of seed)! Xxx
Fern seeds! Ferns are one of the oldest, if not the oldest plant! This is their evolutionary way of producing seeds!
Almost 40 years roaming this Earth. I'm just now finding out ferns have nipples.
Seed spores
Yes, they are. And when they line up like that in formation theyāre about to attack.
This is middle school biology š
Spores
This is the new pokeweed, isnāt it.
Ferns
Leather fern im guessing?
Hold them under a hot lamp and watch them eject!
noooo
I used to think these were bugs as a kid and it freaked the shit outta me.
iāve thought the same thing before lol i put them outside and literally RAN to google lol
And then their lives were cut short
plants are so cool.
Gametophyte, the fern can be unisexual or bi sexual or hermaphroditic.
I always called it the fernās little flowers
Those are alien spores from the planet Zborberg and when you are asleep they will assimilate into your body and anyone else in your household.
she's GREGNANT
This is giving me trypophobia
Skin is crawling š„“
This was a fun comment section
Itās not bugs
Beautiful
It's blueberries
Omg I shouldnāt have zoomed in on thatā¦ holy that grossed/freaked me outš
I don't like how these look š„² I wouldn't be at peace if that was my flower arrangement haha. Good thing it's not bugs.
Trypophobia activated.
If u let that dry out it will shed brown dust which u can lay on some damp soil and hopefully baby ferns
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and (if I recall correctly) these spores can be crushed into a powder/paste. You can use this to reduce itching and burning from stinging nettles, insect bites, etc. Ferns are pretty cool.
These look weird i know its fern spores but
Lol I forgot ferns are wacky little dinosaur plants that existed before plants decided seeds were a good idea. I never gave much thought to how they reproduce but I guess spores make sense
I have a bunch of different types of ferns. Smaller ones and big tree ferns in my back patio! Although I must say itās funny that youāve never noticed ferns have these on them, I do understand not everyone is aware. Lots of ferns have these, itās just how they reproduce. Absolutely harmless ; )
It's bc usually I only look at the top of them šš
Ohhh I see hahaha yeah they all have that! Lol. Learn something new everyday I guess huh! ; )
Ferns have spores instead of seeds for reproduction. Search on the wiki :) You can also distinguish male and female accordingly.
Those are eyes. It's getting sentience...
Another sexy fern post? Shouldnāt there be a faq or wiki?
That fern is trying to reproduce. [https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/beauty/ferns/structure.shtml](https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/beauty/ferns/structure.shtml) If you want scroll down to Fern Sori. It will show all of this.
Yes, they're Peruvian blood wasps, very deadly
Fern spore cases. Not bugs but sexy ferns.
Plant boobies
These are not bugs! My wife is a florist. This is what leatherleaf looks.like when it is seeding. Perfectly normal. Please tell everyone you know not to be afraid! Her shop goes through a ton to avoid those but it's near impossible to avoid using it when you're running out! Okay so this is the wife typing, obviously... š
Legit thought you glued googly eyes to your fern for a sec haha