Answer:
Explanation: Ferns have 3 major parts – the rhizome, the fronds and the reproductive structures called sporangia. The characteristics of each of these 3 parts of the fern plant are used for classification and identification.
The rhizome is the stem of the fern plant. It comes in 3 basic forms:
An erect rhizome, which is a solid mass that gives rise to a tuft of fronds. You can see this type of rhizome on a king fern or a crown fern.
A laterally growing rhizome that creeps along or under the ground. It may even climb up a tree. Hound’s tongue and thread ferns are examples of a fern with a creeping rhizome.
A vertical rhizome. This can grow into a short or a tall trunk. The trunk of the ponga (silver fern) is a vertical rhizome.
