What is Fern and Fern Allies about?

[Tum-thalas]

Origin of the "Fern and Fern Allies" Guild

There comes a time in college when you realize that maybe you have studied a certain field a little too much. You become aware that you care so much about the information in some classes that you can actually have a large collection of subject-related jokes.

This is exactly what happened to Urbeth and myself (as well as a few others) when we took botany classes. Saying that we enjoy plants is something of an understatement. We made jokes about flower types, jokes about methods of reproduction, jokes about plant anatomy, and certainly jokes about the early botanists. (One of our friends thought Linnaeus was attractive. And if you know anything about him...well you'd be as frightened as we were.) But there was a certain section of plants that we liked mostly to joke about.

Ferns are our favorites. In botany classes there are a handful of other plants that are "closely" related to ferns. More so than flowering plants or pine trees anyway. These plants are referred to as the "Fern Allies." And we discovered that the phrase "Fern and Fern Allies" can be used in several hilarious ways. We laughed about them being like wartime allies like America, Russia, and England. But the thing to do, that is the most hilarious is to act as though they are super heroes. Using a loud announcer-like voice say "FERN....and FERN ALLIES!" (Feel free to strike a super hero pose.)

Yes, well...It is humorous to us. Of course we also thought putting a table in the greenhouse, to sit around the plants while we chatted, was something we needed to do.
Anyway, we had so many jokes that we made t-shirts with pictures of ferns and the other plants. And our botany professor liked them so much she thought we should sell them. Actually, a quite a few people thought so.

So maybe you aren't the type who thinks "I don't play that gametophyte" is funny. And maybe you have never considered that coleus may really be just a sneaky "pretty" nettle. But if you like plants we'd love to have you in the guild!

In closing, I will leave you with this phrase: "Don't touch my indusium!" and this piece of helpful insight: "A lot of biology consists of squinting really hard to make it look like something it is not."

So welcome all you plant lovers!  

[Tum-thalas]

Reasons for Having the FaFA Guild

1. We like plants. Perhaps you do to. We plant people need to stick together.

2. Plants are fun to discuss: those we like, those we are wary of, problems we have with those darn mealy bugs, etc. We'd love to talk plants with you. For those who have houseplants, for those interested in horticulture, for those who love botany, and even for those who know only that plants are...green. We will even discuss mushrooms (which are not plants but I have a fondness for.) We might have some helpful hints for you (like "don't lick your Diffenbachia") or we may need your advice.

3. Gaia is slacking on the "plant action" available to purchase or wear. (I know I could do with some more plants in my house!) We think that could be improved upon.

Need more be said? Come, tell us your favorites or even your problems. And especially fun things you know about plants!