Hi, This may seem a silly question to all you Plant gurus out there... Is it normal for a series of what looks like short brown hairy roots to form underneath the leaves of a Java Fern? So far it only seems to be on the older leaves. I'm just curious as this is my first attempt at growing JF. Thanks.
No silly question on here... That is normal, it's just the plant producing new leaves. The brown spots are "sporangia". If i were you i would cut off the leaf with the roots growing on it (cut it as close to the base of the stem as possible) and leave the main plant to put it's energies into producing new growth from the rhizome (root). You can keep the small, new plants and try and grow them on if you like. The leaf that you have snipped off could be partly tied to a rock of some other kind of hardscape. i wouldn't use the whole leaf since this will die off and look ugly and attract algae. I hope this helps. Dan
Yeh this is just the plants way of reproducing. If you leave it alone a new plantlet would grow which eventually you could remove and plant elsewhere BTW the only silly question is the one that isn't asked Sam
Dan's right that there's nothing to worry about, but the spots aren't sporangia unless they produce spores, not roots. The spores are a ferns method of sexual reproduction whereas the plantlets growing from the leaves are produced completely asexually without the alternation of generations that ferns must undergo to reproduce sexually. If you don't like how they look or want the main plant to grow really well and look it's best, then snip the leaves off as they form. However, if you want to grow loads more ferns though I'd leave the leaves until the new plantlets grow leaves and rhizomes and get to a decent size, then twist them off and secure to new wood/rocks. They will get going far quicker if they get more sustinance from the main plant when tiny. They'll grow eventually either way though - they're as tough as old boots! Good luck.
Guys, Thanks for the advice, this is just one fascinating hobby. I wish I'd taken it up years ago. Since joining UKaps in Oct I've learnt a lot. I will try and get a decent photo of the tank and post it soon. Thanks again.
Sorry Dan! I started typing and my Biology lectures on ferns and bryophytes just started to come flooding back.... I could almost hear my lecturer's voice droning away!
