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
Michael Ferns Michael Ferns Michael Ferns is a Scottish film director and screenwriter. He is best known for his debut feature film "Kirk" about the life of Reverend Robert Kirk of Aberfoyle. The film won the 'Best Independent Feature' at the Festival of Fantastic Films and also earned Ferns the 'Best Director' award at the 2010 British Academy Scotland New Talent Awards. A keen filmmaker and prominent member of the Strathendrick Film Society, Michael Ferns enrolled on the Digital Film and Television course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. In 2009, he directed, photographed and edited his debut feature film, the historical