Andrew G. Seymour T here are a few key characteristics which distinguish ferns from other plants. The most obvious is the absence of flowers, fruits and seeds.
Ferns reproduce by spores.
Spores are typically produced on the underside of the fern leaf in clusters called sori. The original classification of the ferns were based on the position and shape of these spore-producing organs. The life-cycle of ferns alternates between two very distinct generations. The fern plant, as most people are familiar with, is the sporophyte generation and it produces dust-like spores. Spores will germinate into minute gametophytes measuring less than 1 centimeter.