Resurrection Fern

At the bottom are two fronds (under clear contact paper) showing variability.

Resurrection Fern

Polypodium polypodioides

This tiny fern has always been a favorite of mine.  It grows in an epiphytic fashion, anchoring its wiry roots into the bark of trees with deep fissures, and receiving nourishment from the water and dust in the atmosphere using energy from the sun via photosynthesis.  The fronds of this fern are fairly small, but I’ve seen some that grow up to 3 or 4 inches. 

It’s called the resurrection fern because it has an adaptation that allows it to transform from a withered brown cluster of curled leaves to a vibrant unfurled green frond.  This adaptation allows it to survive long periods of drought until the rains come, which is helpful in south Florida, with our dry fall-winter-spring and our rainy summers.  Scientists tell us that resurrection fern can stand up to a 95% water loss without perishing.  Compare that to humans, who often find a 15% water loss a fatal event.

The curled, dry fronds, waiting for water.

I learned that this feat is possible because of a protein called dehydrin.  Dehydrin allows the cell walls in the leaf to fold when drying, in a way that can be reversed without damage.  As the fern dries, it manufactures dehydrin, turns brown, and stops photosynthesis.  When moisture is available, the fern takes water in through its stomata (tiny openings on the bottoms of leaves that allow for gas exchange), turns green, and begins photosynthesis once again. 

I’d always thought of it as native to tropical Florida.  Imagine my surprise to find out that these ferns range from Florida to Delaware and then west to Texas!  Not only is it native to the Americas, but it’s also native to Africa.  

A complex ecosystem in a small space.

This ink and watercolor study is of a live oak branch that fell to the ground after a rainstorm.  The branch broke into several smallish chunks, so perhaps it was insect-damaged; my experience with oaks is that the wood is very strong.  I loved the interplay of texture and colors in this tiny universe of lichens, mosses, bark and fern.  Once again, sketching a subject led me to ask questions and then to start

researching.

Needless to say, scientists are studying the property of dehydrins, which could have many applications.  Did you know that resurrection fern has gone into space?  It was the subject of a 1997 experiment on board the space shuttle Discovery.  To read more about this fascinating plant, visit the hyperlinks within the text or listed below.

As always, thanks for visiting!

The sketch was done in my:

Aquabee Super Deluxe  spiral-bound sketchbook
9x6 in, (22.86 x 15.24 cm), 93 lb. paper
Sakura Micron Pigma pen 01,
Daniel Smith watercolors.

Resources:

Wikipedia on resurrection fern 

NationalWildlife Federation

Floridata 

Paper on Poly in space  

Time lapse YouTube video of resurrection fern coming back to life

Wikipedia on dehydrin

Why watercolor pencils?

You might have noticed that many of my recent nature journal entries are in watercolor pencil, and some people wonder why I often choose this over other media. My answers? Portability, ease of use, and versatility.

Right now I don’t have a studio space, so I often find myself sketching in odd spaces such as a sofa corner or the dining room table. I also like to sketch outside, and might be standing on a boardwalk or sitting on a lake’s edge; neither of which is friendly to an elaborate set-up.

Watercolor pencil media seems to be an ideal solution for my nature journal because I can carry a small set and a waterbrush for field sketching, or use them in a cramped indoor space for a close-up study.

Besides being extremely portable, they’re also easy to use after a bit of practice. I’ve always enjoyed having a pencil in my hand, and watercolor pencils give me a connection to drawing and sketching. I also love brushwork and the unpredictability of watercolors. These give me both! Once I’ve created a chart of my basic colors (see my Kimberly chart here) and have played around with the media, I know a bit more about what to expect when I use them.

Their versatility allows me to use them as pencils, or like watercolors, or as a combination of both. Working from light to dark, I often like to work in layers, although sometimes I like to keep it simple and work in just one pass. They’re handy to use for quick thumbnail sketches or for more detailed studies on the fly. Please note that in the following demonstration, you can click on the image to view it larger.

A dry pencil can be used for linear textures or solid color, or the scribbles dissolved completely for a wash similar to watercolor paint. At times I mix media, frequently using a fiber-tipped ink pen (such as Sakura’s Micron Pigma or Pitt’s Artist Pens), then add color with watercolor pencils. I’ve also used the water soluble pencils with watercolors and charcoal.

The step-by-step demonstration of this old pine branch gives a good idea of the process that I often use.  The best tool is a test sheet of different colors that might be good candidates.  The test sheet at the top of this post shows several colors that seemed to be present in my subject.  I did utilize them all, however the Yellow Ochre and Orange were used very sparingly.

I was introduced to watercolor pencils last summer when I took an online class  from artist and author Cathy Johnson, and learned how wonderful the media can be. Water-soluble pencils turned out to be a great tool for my nature journal kit!

You can click on any of the images above to view larger on my Flickr photostream.