Question

Fern is a vascular plant. Yet it is not considered a Phanerogams. Why?

Answer 1

Fern belongs to the sub-kingdom Cryptogamae. Cryptogams produce spores but do not produce seeds. Also, in cryptogams, the sex organs are concealed, which is called the fern, a vascular plant. Phanerogams are seed-producing plants, and their sex organs are visible. Phanerogams have flowers or cones containing reproductive organs such as stamens, pistils, and ovules.

Phanerogams have a more complex structure than ferns. Seed plants have roots, stems, and leaves specialized for different functions. For example, roots absorb water and nutrients from the soil, stems support the plant, and leaves carry out photosynthesis. Ferns, conversely, have simple structures that do not have the same degree of specialization. They have rhizomes, which are underground stems, and fronds, which are the leaves that carry out photosynthesis and produce spores.

Hence, the fern is a vascular plant. Yet, it is not considered a Phanerogam.