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Horsetails and ferns

Source: https://unsplash.com/, licencja: CC 0.

Link to lesson

Before you start you should know
  • what functions the individual parts of plants perform;

  • how they look and how mosses are built;

  • under what conditions they can occur.

You will learn
  • recognize ferns and horsetails;

  • indicate the elements of construction of ferns and horsetails;

  • discuss the environments in which ferns and horsetails may appear.

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Nagranie abstraktu.

Construction of ferns and horsetails

Ferns and horsetails are more developed plants than mosses. For example, they have stem reinforcement elements, so that they can reach higher heights. Ferns and horsetails have roots supplying them with water and mineral salts from the ground. These plants produce rhizomerhizomerhizome, or underground stems. In fern rhizomes leaves grow – the only elements of the plants that are above the surface. Young fern leavesi (fertile leaves)fertile leavesYoung fern leavesi (fertile leaves) they are characteristically spiral‑shaped or rolled up. On the underside of the leaves there are sporangia spreading spores. From them arises another generation of ferns.

The horsetails differ in appearance from the ferns. From the rhizomes sprout stems, in which at regular intervals sprout branches covered with small scaly leaves. Horsetails produce sporangia in special ears located at the tops of the stems.

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Construction of horsetail
Source: Anita Mowczan, licencja: CC BY 2.0.
Task 1

Before you move on to observe the prepared specimens of dry shoots of horsetail and fern leaves, write down the research question and the hypothesis. Look closely at the plant structures and compare them. Write down your observations, and then your conclusions.

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Zanim przejdziesz do obserwacji przygotowanych okazów suchych pędów skrzypu i liści paproci, sformułuj pytanie badawcze i hipotezę. Poznaj dokładnie struktury roślin i porównaj je. Powiedz swoje obserwacje, a następnie wnioski.

The occurrence of horsetails and ferns

Ferns and horsetail in our country usually reach no more than 1.5 meters in height. They grow better in a warm and humid climate, where they can reach the size of small trees.

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Common firn
Source: Hugo.arg, http://commons.wikimedia.org, licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.

Horsetail has even lower requirements than ferns. Some of them grow in fields and dry meadows, and even on sandy embankments. Horsetails are also grown. Extracts from various parts of horsetails – thanks to their properties – they are used in medicine and cosmetics. An infusion of horsetail strengthens hair and nails and helps with kidney disease.
Horsetails may release numerous shoots from rhizomes developing underground. These rhizomes often grow at a depth of 0.5 to over 1 meter. That is why horsetail is extremely resistant to treatments used in agriculture.

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Horsetail
Source: Eugene Zelenko, www.flickr.com, licencja: CC BY-SA 2.0.
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Exercise 1
Wymień elementy paproci
Source: Anita Mowczan, GroMar Sp. z o.o., licencja: CC BY 3.0.
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Exercise 2
Wymyśl pytanie na kartkówkę związane z tematem abstraktu.
Source: Anita Mowczan, GroMar Sp. z o.o., licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.
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Exercise 3
Match the pairs: English words with Polish definition. rhizome Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. liście, na których tworzą się zarodnie z zarodnikami, służą do rozmnażania bezpłciowego, 2. przekształcona łodyga podziemna magazynująca substancje odżywcze wyprodukowane w procesie fotosyntezy fertile leaves Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. liście, na których tworzą się zarodnie z zarodnikami, służą do rozmnażania bezpłciowego, 2. przekształcona łodyga podziemna magazynująca substancje odżywcze wyprodukowane w procesie fotosyntezy

Summary

  • Ferns and horsetails are made of roots, underground stem (rhizomes) and leaves.

  • Horsetail can grow in dry places.

Homework
Task 2.1

Find information on which ferns and horsetails found in Poland are protected.

Keywords

horsetail, fern, rhizome

Glossary

rhizome
rhizome
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Nagranie słówka: rhizome

kłącze – przekształcona łodyga podziemna magazynująca substancje odżywcze wyprodukowane w procesie fotosyntezy

fertile leaves
fertile leaves
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Nagranie słówka: fertile leaves

liście zarodnionośne – liście, na których tworzą się zarodnie z zarodnikami, służą do rozmnażania bezpłciowego