Diversity of Ferns in the Forestry Laboratory Area at Payanan San Gregorio, Luna, Apayao

Pteridophytes are a diverse group of seedless vascular plants that include ferns, horsetails, and club mosses, with over 12,000 species worldwide. They possess true roots, stems, and leaves, and reproduce through spores instead of seeds. Pteridophytes show wide diversity in form, ranging from small creeping plants to tall tree ferns, and in leaf structure from simple microphylls to highly divided fronds. They are most abundant in moist, shaded habitats such as forests and riverbanks. Ecologically, pteridophytes contribute to soil stabilization, nutrient cycling, and overall ecosystem balance.The diversity of pteridophytes is expressed in their wide range of morphological forms, life cycles, and ecological adaptations. They vary from small, moss-like species creeping along forest floors to large tree ferns reaching several meters in height. Leaf morphology ranges from simple microphylls in lycophytes to highly divided megaphyllous fronds in true ferns. Reproductively, pteridophytes exhibit both homospory and heterospory, reflecting evolutionary advancement within the group. Their life cycle shows a clear alternation of generations, with an independent sporophyte and a free-living gametophyte.