Table of Contents
Evolution and Systematics
Functional Adaptations
Functional adaptation
Surface tension flings spores: fern
"A mechanism based on the surface tension of water is used by a fern that forcibly discharges its spores from the sporangium--evaporation decreases the volume of water and increases the surface curvature in a series of cuplike dead cells until the sustainable cohesion is exceeded; water then vaporizes and tension is relieved by a movement analogous to that involved in throwing a spear (Steward 1968)." (Vogel 2003:449)
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The spores of one fern are launched from the sporangium using a mechanism based on surface tension and evaporation.
"A mechanism based on the surface tension of water is used by a fern that forcibly discharges its spores from the sporangium--evaporation decreases the volume of water and increases the surface curvature in a series of cuplike dead cells until the sustainable cohesion is exceeded; water then vaporizes and tension is relieved by a movement analogous to that involved in throwing a spear (Steward 1968)." (Vogel 2003:449)
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- Steven Vogel. 2003. Comparative Biomechanics: Life's Physical World. Princeton: Princeton University Press. 580 p.
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Functional adaptation
Signal directs sperm: fern
"In higher plants, we find positive chemotaxis in fern sperms, which respond to a malate signal from unfertilized archegonia." (Bar-Cohen 2006:474)
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The sperm of ferns detect unfertilized archegonia via a malate signal.
"In higher plants, we find positive chemotaxis in fern sperms, which respond to a malate signal from unfertilized archegonia." (Bar-Cohen 2006:474)
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- Yoseph Bar-Cohen. 2006. Biomimetics: biologically inspired technologies. Boca Raton, FL: CRC/Taylor & Francis. 527 p.
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Molecular Biology and Genetics
Barcode
Locations of barcode samples
Collection Sites: world map showing specimen collection locations for Pteridophyta 
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Statistics of barcoding coverage
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Stats
| Specimen Records: | 1,477 |
| Specimens with Sequences: | 299 |
| Specimens with Barcodes: | 245 |
| Public Records: | 15 |
| Species: | 157 |
| Species With Barcodes: | 73 |
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Barcode data
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