Dicksonia antarctica frond

The microscopic world on the underside of a Dicksonia antarctica frond. Pteridophytes or Ferns date back to the Carboniferous period – almost 360 million years ago. This understandably results in very different life cycle mechanisms to your average garden plant. An example of this is the bizarre mode to which they procreate through spore dispersal. Special spore containing sporangium (which look like maggots) are dotted across the underside of the fronds. They begin to open up as they dessicate and eventually sling shot the spores out into the surrounding air, leaving the spent sporangium cases (as seen in the above photograph). A wonderful example of the diversity of life.

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