News Excerpt:
A dense bush of Cyathea rojasiana — a tree fern species that grows up to two metres tall, was discovered in the early 2000s.
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About Ferns:
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Key characteristics:
- The drooping, seemingly dead leaves of Cyathea rojasiana have a dense network of tiny rootlets.
- The dead fronds of Cyathea rojasiana draw nitrogen from nutrient-poor and water-logged soil.
- The fronds supply the absorbed nutrients to the plant.
- Cyathea rojasiana is the only known plant to revive its dead leaves and repurpose them into roots.
- This adaptation is crucial for the slow-growing fern, saving it from having to grow new fronds and roots.
