It is a member of a group of approximately 12,000 species of vascular plants that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers.They differ from mosses by being vascular.
Ferns. The first plants that had leaves evolved from plants that were more like moss about 360 million years ago. We call these early plants with leaves ferns. Like moss, most ferns grow in places where there is plenty of water: usually near the banks of streams. But eventually some ferns were able to figure out how to live in dry places too. Many ferns had underground stems, like mushrooms. Ferns are a very ancient family of plants: early fern fossils predate the beginning of the Mesozoic era, 360 million years ago. They are older than land animals and far older than the dinosaurs. They were thriving on Earth for two hundred million years before the flowering plants evolved. There are two answers to this. The first is that ferns are (relatively) delicate plants that only grow in areas where there are suitably moist conditions. They favour sheltered areas under the forest canopy, along creeks and streams and other sources of permanent moisture. Ferns are an ancient group of plants dating back about 300 million years. They are most closely related to mosses and liverworts. They never have flowers and fruits but instead reproduce by spores typically produced on the lower side of the fronds or leaves or on specialized spore-bearing fronds. You are very observant. Neither of these are ferns at all but are true flowering plants. The asparagus fern, Asparagus setaceus, is a close relative of the edible asparagus and produces tiny white flowers and purplish black fruits. The numerous leaves are very small, bright green and produced on long branches. Most ferns have what are called fiddleheads that expand into fronds, which are each delicately divided. Leptosporangiate ferns (sometimes called true ferns) are by far the largest group, but ferns as defined here (ferns sensu lato) include horsetails, whisk ferns, marattioid ferns, and ophioglossoid ferns. The gametophytes of ferns, however, are very different from those of seed plants. Instead, they resemble liverworts. A fern gametophyte typically consists of: 1  Prothallus: A green, photosynthetic structure that is one cell thick, usually heart or kidney shaped, 3–10 mm long and 2–8 mm broad. A fern is a leafy, flowerless plant that grows in areas of high moisture. Ferns are vascular plants, in that they have a complex internal vein structure that supplies nutrients to the outer regions of the plant. Ferns are different from other vascular plants in that most vascular plants grow directly from seeds, while a fern grows from a spore, through an intermediate stage called a gametophyte. A fern requires certain characteristics in its surroundings to grow. The term fern refers to any of about 12,000 species of plants that do not produce flowers or seeds, instead reproducing by spores. Ferns have been in existence for over 300 million years. Many ferns are easily recognizable because of their fronds, or lace-like leaves. However there are many different species of ferns growing around the world, in a variety of habitats and fronds can range in size from less than an inch to well over 12 feet.  A fern is a member of a group of approximately 12,000 species of vascular plants that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They differ from mosses by being vascular (i.e. having water-conducting vessels). They have stems and leaves, like other vascular plants. The gametophytes of ferns, however, are very different from those of seed plants. Instead, they resemble liverworts. A fern gametophyte typically consists of: 1  Prothallus: A green, photosynthetic structure that is one cell thick, usually heart or kidney shaped, 3–10 mm long and 2–8 mm broad. The Pteridophytes (Ferns and fern allies). are vascular plants and have leaves (known as fronds), roots and sometimes true stems, and tree ferns have full trunks. Examples include ferns, horsetails and club-mosses. Fronds in the largest species of ferns can reach some six metres in length!  Ferns are vascular plants differing from lycophytes by having true leaves (megaphylls), which are often pinnate. They differ from seed plants (gymnosperms and angiosperms) in their mode of reproduction—lacking flowers and seeds. The gametophytes of ferns, however, are very different from those of seed plants. Instead, they resemble liverworts. A fern gametophyte typically consists of: 1  Prothallus: A green, photosynthetic structure that is one cell thick, usually heart or kidney shaped, 3–10 mm long and 2–8 mm broad.
http://www.quatr.us/biology/plants/ferns/ http://www.home.aone.net.au/byzantium/ferns/about.html http://www.usna.usda.gov/Gardens/faqs/fernsfaq2.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fern http://www.naturehills.com/garden-blog/what-is-a-fern/ http://gardening.about.com/od/plantprofile1/a/Tips-For-Growing-Fern-Plants.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fern http://www.theplantlist.org/browse/P/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fern
what are ferns