Texas Gardening: Texas Native Plant Pictures (Fern, Moss, Lichen & Mushroom), 1 by htop

htop wrote:
Whisk Fern, Skeleton Fork Fern, Moa (Psilotum nudum), Psilotaceae Family, native, perennial, evergreen, grows up to 2 to 3 feet tall

County distribution:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=Texas&statefip...

Whisk Fern, Skeleton Fork-fern, Moa (Psilotum nudum) is terrestrial plant that grows in rocky crevices on rocky slopes, low to mesic woods, thickets, swamps and hammocks or as an epiphytic plant (grows on a host, such as a tree, to obtain nutrients). If terrestrial, it is branched and erect; whereas, if epiphytic, it is pendulous. It is classified as a fern ally because it is a spore-producing vascular plant. Thought not to be a true fern, botanists traditionally considered it to be a "primitive" vascular plant. It has only dichotomously branching stems, sporangia and leaf-like enations (lacks true leaves) and lacks roots (like the Bryophytes). It apparently has reduced features from a more complex evolutionary predecessor. Recent molecular genetic research has supported morphological evidence that it probably is a fern of the phylum Pterophyta that has lost many of the pteridophytic characteristics.

Psilotum nudum is propagated by spores or by division at any time of the year. The spores are produced in solitary yellow sporangia which appear on the bract-like or leaf-like lateral appendages. Ripe spores may be sown in the spring. To determine if the spores are ripe, pick a frond and place it in a paper bag. Hang it a room for 24 hours. The spores that fall to the bottom of the bag are ripe and ready to be sown. The spores, which must be kept in the dark, can take up to one year to germinate.

Psilotum nudum occurs as a minor weed in greenhouses seemingly just popping up out of nowhere. I think I have 2 that have come up in 2 different plant containers that I purchased last year. I shall see. It is a really unusual plant and I would love to have at least one.

For more information, see its entry in the PlantFiles:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/67754/

Growth habit ...