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Filmy Fern
Crepidomanes minutum
コケシノブ
A tiny epiphytic fern growing on rocks and tree trunks in warm, humid forests of Japan. Its fronds are only one cell layer thick and translucent, resembling moss—hence the Japanese name. It can survive only in environments with very high humidity.
Identification Points
- ✓Fronds one cell layer thick and translucent
- ✓Extremely small fern with frond width of a few mm to ~1 cm
- ✓Epiphytic on moist rocks and tree trunks
Habitat
Rocks and tree trunks in humid forests
Season
Year-round (evergreen)
3D Specimen Model
Kyushu University, Shikano Lab (CC0)
View on Sketchfab→Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Growth form
Herb
Habitat
Wetland
Phylogenetic Positionコケシノブ科 →
Phylogenetic Position
Vascular plants > Polypodiophyta > Polypodiopsida > Hymenophyllales > Hymenophyllaceae
Divergence Era
Jurassic (approx. 180 million years ago onward)
Evolution Notes
Hymenophyllaceae retains the primitive trait of single-cell-layer fronds, lacking a cuticle and surviving directly on atmospheric moisture—an extreme specialization for high-humidity environments.
View on evolution timeline →Sources & References
AI-generated, needs verification