Fern plants. Like all other vascular plants, the diploid sporophyte is the dominant phase or generation in the life cycle. The gametophytes of ferns, however, are very different from those of seed plants. They are free-living and resemble liverworts, whereas those of seed plants develop within the spore wall and are dependent on the parent sporophyte for their nutrition. A fern gametophyte typically consists of: Ferns first appear in the fossil record in the early Carboniferous period. By the Triassic, the first evidence of ferns related to several modern families appeared. The great fern radiation occurred in the late Cretaceous, when
Phil Ferns Phil Ferns Philip David Ferns (born 12 September 1961) is an English former professional footballer who played as a left back in the Football League. Liverpool-born Ferns signed for Sam Ellis's Blackpool, who were then in the Fourth Division, in the summer of 1983. His father, also called Phil, played 18 times for Liverpool F.C. in their 1963-64 title winning season. He made his debut for "the Tangerines" in the opening League game of the 1983-84 campaign, a single-goal victory over Reading at Bloomfield Road. He went on to make a further 36 starts and one substitute appearance. The following