Plants That Don't Have Seeds

Algae

• Artist's fungus  (Ganoderma applanatum) forms reddish brown bodies that wrap around fruits and trees. The pores that are located on the underside of the fungi disperse the spores. They produce massive amounts of brown spores. So the fruits and trees that the fungus grows on often appear as if powdered chocolate was poured onto them.

  Bearded tooth  (Hericium erinaceum) grows on old trees in long established forests. It grows along scars in branches high up in trees or along the ends of broken branches. Spores are produced along long, white projections that resemble teeth or the back of a hedgehog.

  Many species of fungus cause sickness or death when ingested. Never pick or eat any species that is not positively identified as edible. Thoroughly wash hands after handling any algae.

Ferns

• Walking fern (Asplenium rhizophyllum) grows best along shaded limestone and moss-covered outcroppings of rock but tolerates sunlight. It propagates through spores or as the tips of the fronds touch moist ground and take root. Hence, the fern appears to walk along the ground. Spores are located on the underside of the leaflets.

  Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) grows in rich, fertile woods and in wood clearings. This common fern is an evergreen. It earned the name, Christmas fern, because the fronds were commonly used as Christmas decorations. Spores are located along the underside of the leaflets.

Moss

• Archidium moss  (Archidium elatum) ranges in color from dark brown to yellow-brown. The lower stems branch out along the ground and take root to produce new plants. It grows in tufted, dense carpets along coastal rocks. Spores form inside capsules that eventually burst and release them.

  Mrs. Appleyard's moss  (Brachythecium appleyardiae) range in color from pale green to yellow-green. The rough mats adhere to the shaded, pock-marked rocks it appears to favor. The stems take root as they crawl along the rock surface. Little is known about mature spores, this is an endangered plant.