FER^S 



the fronds of some of our common ferns you will see 

 many small, brownish spots. These are fruit dots. 

 Sometimes each fruit dot has a thin, whitish cover- 

 ing. This hides it until it is nearly 

 ripe. The fruit dots are made up of 

 small bodies called spore cases. Within 

 these are the spores, which are set free 

 when ripe. These spores take the 



TOP VIEW 



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Parts of Fern 

 Leaves with 

 Fruit Dots. 



SIDE VIEW SIDE VIEW 



Forms of Spore Cases. 



place of the seeds which we find in flowering plants. 

 From them come new plants. 



Here are pictures of the spore cases of some of our 

 common ferns. See how the spores are scattered. 

 Notice the stalked spore case. Around it is a jointed 



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