Field of Science

Rare Ferns

Here's a plug for one of TPP's favorite plant purveyors, Charles Alford.  He recently got a web site up and running, Rare Ferns, and it's worth a look see if only to window shop.  Everything ever purchased from him has been received in excellent condition and looking very good, and often surprisingly large.  The last two plants were a tropical Ophioglossum pendulum and a Psilotum complanatum.  Let TPP emphasize that RARE is not an exaggeration. The ant plant ferns are particularly cool, although apparently they come sans ants (none of the rest of the ants plants in our glass house have any either).  You'll also find some other curious odds & ends that may be of interest. At any rate since our institution is state assisted, or as many say, state hampered, our budget for new specimens is non-existent. But maybe you're in better shape and wish to by us an ant plant fern as a gift. 
For those of you unfamiliar with ant plants (myrmecophytes), such plants offer ants a reward, food and/or lodging, and in return the ants fend off herbivores and sometimes even other plants to protect their plant. Careful if you encounter one in the wild and try to collect a piece.  TPP discovered a new ant plant that way once.

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