Fern Ally (Noun)
Meaning
Pteridophytes of other classes than Filicopsida.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- Fern ally can be distinguished from ferns due to its heterosporous life cycle.
- Sphenophyta and Isoetopsida classes were the pteridophyte divisions historically treated as fern allies.
- The concept provides more information about ancient times when fern allies were actually true ferns.
- Ancient lycopods similar to lycopodiophyta or club moss, were associated with the category known as fern allies.
- Fern allies were once supposed to be related to ancient vascular plant evolution which left us the land plants that have modern pteridophytes.