Scientists Sequence Genome of Flying Spider-Monkey Tree Fern | Sci-News.com
Flying spider-monkey tree fern, scientifically known as Alsophila spinulosa is a species of tree fern widely distributed in Asia. Alsophila spinulosa . Image credit: Quanzi Li. Land plants evolved 470 million years ago from aquatic algae and have since changed terrestrial ecosystems. The body of land plants has undergone a series of developmental, biochemical and physiological adaptations, one of which is the emergence of vascular tissue. In seed plants, xylem, with thickened cell walls, provides stems with high water-conducting efficiency and strong structural support. Lignin is an important component of the secondary cell wall of xylem – it not only provides mechanical support in fiber cells but also forms a hydrophobic surface in vessels to aid water transport. Outside of seed plants, tree ferns—members of the order Cyatheales—are one of the few lineages that have tree-like trunks. This plant has high ornamental value and is considered a resource for natural products with pharmaceu