Ferns and fern allies are a paraphyletic assemblage traditionally used in pteridology to group vascular plants that reproduce via spores and lack seeds and flowers, including true ferns (monilophytes) and historically associated lineages such as lycophytes, horsetails, and whisk ferns. As a topic, it encompasses comparative morphology (e.g., fronds, rhizomes, sporangia, strobili), life cycle biology with free-living gametophytes, vascular anatomy, systematics and phylogenomics of early-diverging tracheophytes, and their roles in ecology and paleoecology. Modern research emphasizes resolving phylogenetic relationships and revising classifications to reflect monophyletic groups rather than the artificial “fern allies” category.
Science never stops. Get notified about trending stories.
