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Resurrection Fern

Ferns and Fern Allies

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Resurrection fern, Pleopeltis polypodioides, is a small epiphytic fern of the family Polypodiaceae native to the Americas and Africa, commonly seen growing on the bark of live oak and other large trees across the southeastern United States. It earns its common name from its extreme desiccation tolerance, curling up and appearing shriveled and brown during dry periods, only to unfurl and turn green again within hours of receiving rain, a survival strategy that lets it persist through repeated drought as an epiphyte with no soil access.

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