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Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Fields of ferns


ferns, originally uploaded by jahansell.

On a hot humid sticky day, doesn't this look cool and welcoming? I think they're sensitive cinnamon ferns, [thanks Fred for the correction] growing in the woods at Miles Wildlife Sanctuary in Sharon. If this is indeed what they are, the CT Botanical Association Website adds:

This is Connecticut's largest fern. Its fiddleheads are food for ruffed grouse, and hummingbirds sometimes use the fuzz on young fronds to line their nests.

• Family: Osmundaceae
• Habitat: swamps, streambanks, shores
• Height: 2-5 feet
• Location of spores: separate fertile fronds are cinnamon-colored, narrow and erect
• Stipe (leaf stalk): round and slightly grooved; at first covered with cinnamon-colored hairs, later smooth and green
• Growth pattern: symmetric clump
• Persistence: deciduous

9 Comments:

Blogger RUTH said...

I had to do a google because I'd never heard of a Sensitive Fern; I thought maybe it closed up when touched or something but it turns out its because it's so sensitive to frost. A lovely photo...looks very inviting as though you could lie down and sleep on them.
Rx

12:53 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

do you know that certain species of ferns are edible and really delicious.

i tried them when i went holidaying in borneo. lovely!

of course, it does not look like these ferns that you show ;-)

1:39 PM  
Blogger Kate said...

Jenny, I have a similar photo that I was going to use for my banner, alto I used an airplane instead. I think I'll post mine tomorrow as a companion post to yours. Edible says KEROPOK MAN? I may try it. If they taste as good as they look, it might be a tasty delight!

5:30 PM  
Blogger Buzztree said...

Your DH says: Not sensitive ferns (Onoclea sensibilis). Sensitive ferns have undivided leaves. My first guess would be cinnamon fern, but I'm not a fern expert....

7:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Beautiful image. Mesmeric. Thanks

10:48 AM  
Blogger Icarus said...

Clearly they survived the frost. A great shade of green. (I'm into a blue period chez moi).

2:55 PM  
Blogger Bobby D. said...

I do love ferns... I posted a pic with ferns yesterday,
but want to get deep into the ferny woods and really take a lot of snaps.

they are such peaceful and fragile looking plants.

5:35 PM  
Blogger Bobby D. said...

ps

I ate some ferns, sauteed, last month. my human companion brought them from some market.

5:36 PM  
Blogger Ming the Merciless said...

Amazing sea of ferns. I didn't know they grow this far north.

Nice photo.

5:44 PM  

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