2020-2 Nature Up Close

Did you guess? It’s a close-up of the back of a frond of a Spinulose Wood Fern. The tiny circular spiral objects on stalks are what are called “Sporangia”. They contain the spores from which new ferns grow. When ready, they rear back and then suddenly snap forward to eject all their spores. See the “Life Cycle of a Fern” Poster high up on the wall above the fern panel display here in the Nature Center.