What is a Victorian fernery?
A Fernery is the name for a collection of ferns – either in a Wardian case, a greenhouse or a special area of a garden. They came about during the Victorian ‘Fern Frenzy’ between 1841 and 1891.
What is a fern specialist called?
Pteridologist. The study of ferns and other pteridophytes is called pteridology. A pteridologist is a specialist in the study of pteridophytes in a broader sense that includes the more distantly related lycophytes.
When were ferns popular?
From the 1850s to the 1890s, ferns began appearing on everything from pottery to gravestones in Victorian England, and fern collecting became all the rage, particularly among women. “They were totally obsessed,” says Nathalie Nagalingum, the chair of botany at the California Academy of Sciences.
Why is there a fern on custard creams?
It is believed that the custard cream biscuit originated in Britain in 1908. They usually have an elaborate baroque design stamped onto them, originating in the Victorian era and representing ferns.
What is a fern lover called?
A great Victorian craze, pteridomania (pterido being Latin for ferns) was the huge love affair for ferns and all things fern-like in Britain between 1840s and 1890s. The term ‘pteridomania’ was coined in 1855 by Charles Kingsley, author of ‘The Water Babies’, in his book ‘Glaucus, or the Wonders of the Shore’.
What is fern pattern?
ferning. [fern´ing] the appearance of a fernlike pattern in a dried specimen of cervical mucus, an indication of the presence of estrogen, usually seen at the midpoint of the menstrual cycle; it can be helpful in the determination of ovulation. The same phenomenon occurs with premature rupture of the fetal membranes.
Which fern is Woody?
Unlike flowering plants, tree ferns do not form new woody tissue in their trunk as they grow. Rather, the trunk is supported by a fibrous mass of roots that expands as the tree fern grows.
Are ferns The oldest plant?
Ferns are ancient plants whose ancestors first appeared on Earth over 300 million years ago. Members of a division of primitive plants called Pteridophytes, ferns are one of the earth’s oldest plant groups and dominated the land before the rise of flowering plants.
What are the characteristics of ferns?
Ferns generally reproduce by producing spores. Similar to flowering plants, ferns have roots, stems and leaves. However, unlike flowering plants, ferns do not have flowers or seeds; instead, they usually reproduce sexually by tiny spores or sometimes can reproduce vegetatively, as exemplified by the walking fern.
What is in the middle of a custard cream?
The traditional filling was the buttercream, which is still being used for the home recipes. Their name comes from custard filling which is essentially eggs mixed with liquids, usually milk or cream, and then thickened using low heat.
What is the oldest biscuit?
The earliest surviving example of a biscuit is from 1784, and it is a ship’s biscuit. They were renowned for their inedibility, and were so indestructible that some sailors used them as postcards.
What does positive fern test mean?
The proteins and saline content of amniotic fluid crystallize on a slide when dry yielding the appearance of ferns. A positive test shows the presence of fern-like patterns characteristic of amniotic fluid crystals.
What did pteridomania mean in the Victorian era?
Pteridomania is generally considered a British eccentricity, but while it lasted, fern madness invaded all aspects of Victorian life. Ferns and fern motifs appeared everywhere; in homes, gardens, art and literature.
When did Charles Kingsley invent the term pteridomania?
A plate from The Ferns of Great Britain and Ireland, a book from the era of pteridomania. Pteridomania, meaning Fern Madness or Fern Craze, a compound of Pteridophytes and mania, was coined in 1855 by Charles Kingsley in his book Glaucus, or the Wonders of the Shore:
What was the fern craze of the Victorian era?
Pteridomania or Fern-Fever was a Victorian craze for ferns. Decorative arts of the period presented the fern motif in pottery, glass, metal, textiles, wood, printed paper, and sculpture, with ferns “appearing on everything from christening presents to gravestones and memorials”.
Why was the Wardian case important in Victorian times?
The Wardian case, a forerunner of the terrarium, helped protect Victorian fern collections from the air pollution of the era.