Plant biologists report that a species of tree fern found only in Panama reanimates its own dead leaf fronds, converting them into root structures that feed the mother plant. The fern, Cyathea ...

With massive fronds creating a luxuriously green canopy in the understory of Australian forests, tree ferns are a familiar sight on many long drives or bushwalks. But how much do you really know about ...

In the Panamanian rainforest, scientists found the first known plant species to transform decaying tissue into a new source of nutrients. By Douglas Main In the rainforests of western Panama, the ...

Scientists have discovered a zombie tree that converts its leaves into roots as it dies. The Cyathea rojasiana tree fern, which is native to Panama in Central America, was studied by plant biologists ...

Ordinarily, once a fern's leaf fronds have died, the plant has no further use for them. Such is not the case with the Cyathea rojasiana fern, though – a scientist has discovered that its dead fronds ...

Ferns, which have been called “living fossils,” reveal the powerful resilience and adaptability of ancient life forms. Among them, tree ferns, which are perfectly adapted to local conditions in Taiwan ...

The red Brazilian tree fern (Blechnum brasiliense)is commonly found growing wild in Brazil. Although called a tree fern, its “trunk” is actually a rhizome or root that grows only 10 inches tall. The ...

With massive fronds creating a luxuriously green canopy in the understory of Australian forests, tree ferns are a familiar sight on many long drives or bushwalks. But how much do you really know about ...

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign plant biology professor James Dalling and his colleagues discovered that some tree ferns recycle their dead fronds into roots. The researchers call these ...