2016/17 collections: ferns

Ferns are not yet something I've tried collecting in earnest - I found about ten species whilst just out and about last year. That's not a huge number and I think if you wanted more you'd have to do some serious looking. It's true to say that some other groups are a lot easier to amass a range of species for. But having said that, it's not just about quantity. One fern collection with ten species was given a 2:2, while one with only eleven got 70%. So it's also about the quality of your specimens - whether they have all the diagnostic features like sori or the little scales at the base of the stipe - and whether you've preserved them properly and identified and presented them appropriately. And of course, you can also get a boost of marks from a good monograph and field diary.

The page above is from a collection that got a first overall. The specimens were praised for their standard of preservation. I think here though I'd want to see the stipe complete, and one of the pinnules turned over to see the sori. It's interesting that the student has labelled it with information about habitat and soil type, but the marker notes that this ought to apply to the particular spot where this fern was found, rather than the preferences of that species in general.

I like the ferns on paper, but several people this year submitted them laminated - this didn't seem to put off the markers so long as it was done well. I think you'd have to make sure the fronds are properly pressed and really dry before putting them in the pockets - you don't want them going mouldy. I suspect some people laminated theirs fresh. The photo above illustrates that they can look nice... but is also a bit of a warning.


You can see some ideas for the field diaries in the other feedback posts, but here are a couple from the fern collections which caught my eye.

 

 This one seems to be an excellent way of showing your thought process as you work through the key looking for the distinguishing features of your particular species.

 

And this book was praised for its excellent detail in documenting the identifications.