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Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻

@fernleaf07.bsky.social

950 followers 300 following 750 posts

Fern enthusiast, occasional astronomer, writer of software that runs machines (firmware) Fernleaf07.wordpress.com https://www.youtube.com/@fernleaf07 Westport Astronomical Society https://was-ct.org

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Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · May 3

I received many followers in the last few days, many even today! Thank you. I hope my posts, especially about ferns, will be worth your while.

A fern picture to close this post.

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Fragile Fern, Cystopteris fragilis
Bartholomew's Cobble, Sheffield, MA, USA 27Apr25

Fragile fern is a cliff dwelling plant. The base stem breaks easily, fragile, thus its name. It is a small plant. Ankle high or so. The frond is bi-pinnate, twice cut.

Bartholomew's Cobble is a seabed uplift, as is that area of the Housatonic River Valley. The seabed is limestone and dolomite. These minerals make for a basic pH.

The basic pH lends itself to a different environment than the typical leaf littered New England forest floor.

Plants in basic pH tend to be uncommon to rare due to the uncommon exposure of an ancient seabed.

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/cystopteris/fragilis/
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/cystopteris-fragilis/
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CYFR2

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Reposted by Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻

SCIENMAG @scienmag.bsky.social · 1d

New Bacterial Species Discovered in Cyclosorus Soil

In a remarkable contribution to the field of microbiology, researchers have announced the discovery of a novel actinomycete strain, cg5^T, extracted from the rhizosphere soil of Cyclosorus parasiticus, a fern species located in Xiangtan City,…

New Bacterial Species Discovered in Cyclosorus Soil

In a remarkable contribution to the field of microbiology, researchers have announced the discovery of a novel actinomycete strain, cg5^T, extracted from the rhizosphere soil of Cyclosorus parasiticus, a fern species located in Xiangtan City, Hunan province, China. This strain, with its unique genetic and biochemical properties, is set to redefine our understanding of the Amycolatopsis genus, which is recognized for its potential in antibiotic production and various biotechnological applications.

scienmag.com

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Reposted by Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻

Nick Talbot @talbotlabtsl.bsky.social · 2d

New PhD opportunity in my group @thesainsburylab.bsky.social through the BBSRC NRP DTP Programme - see details of host to apply below

biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/projects/van...

Vanishing Virulence: Investigating pathogenicity loss in a plant pathogenic fungus (TALBOT_T26DTP) | Doctoral Training Partnership

What makes a plant killer lose its edge? This project will investigate why fungal pathogens lose virulence when they are grown in laboratory culture away from their host plant. Use cutting-edge…

biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk

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Reposted by Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻

Christine Faulkner @pdchristine.bsky.social · 2d

We have a project available for 2026 NRP Doctoral Training Partnership entry (i.e. PhD studentship opportunity!)

How do cells communicate when it's hot?

Don't know? Me either! Come work with us @johninnescentre.bsky.social and figure it out

biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/projects/how...

How do cells communicate when it’s hot? (FAULKNER_J26DTP) | Doctoral Training Partnership

Plant cells are connected to their neighbours via ‘tubes’ called plasmodesmata, creating an interconnected cytoplasm that joins cells within and between tissues and organs.

biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk

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Reposted by Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻

Eva Stukenbrock @estukenbrock.bsky.social · 2d

Professorship in plant genetics.
The Botanical Institute at Kiel University is advertising a W2 professorship. Great opportunity to do plant research in the north of Germany. See:
www.berufungen.uni-kiel.de/de/dateien/o...

www.berufungen.uni-kiel.de

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Reposted by Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻

Mark Peifer (He, him) @peiferlabunc.bsky.social · 2d

I'm very excited to announce that UNC Biology has 6 faculty positions open this year! The first is for an Asst Professor who studies organismal resilience using an integrative approach 1/n
unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/307...

Poster with QR code linking to the position

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Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 1d

That day and the previous day had temperatures >70F (21C).

Was visiting that weekend.

Had been informed that North New England was in drought. Was in NH a few weeks before. White Mountain National Park had a fire hazard alert.

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Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 1d

Saw witch-hazel flower at a Boothbay Land Trust property, Boothbay, Maine, USA, October 4, 2025

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Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 2d

Here in Southern CT, USA, ground pine is common.

It can cover the under story.

Fragrance Trail, Fairfield Audubon, Fairfield, C, USA Dendrolycopodium obscurum A large colony.

Close up of the stroboli that contained the spores that have been released. The pointed leaves are called microphylls. They contain one vein. The pattern of the microphylls and stroboli are characteristics for identifying the various species of clubmoss.

Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 3d

Fifth and last troll.

Birk.

Long of limb.

(sign is missing)

Birk's right elbow. Right leg in foreground.

Birk is the only troll with a beard and no hair

Birk has big eyes. Hands down on the ground. Legs out to the side. Birk may have just sat down or is just getting up.

Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 3d

A fourth troll.

Lilja.

Lilja holds the scent of the FLOWERS of the tree

Troll Etiquette - "Stay on the trails (to protect our fortest).","Please don't climb on Lilja's legs (she wants you to be safe.)", "Please do not collect any living things (including green leaves, moss, or lichens)."

Lilja knows how important tree flowers are to the insects of the forest. When insects take the pollen and nectar, they also give back to the tree. With their help, pollen spreads, and the flowers become fruit. Inside all fruit is the seed that holds the next generation.

Just last summer, Lilja came out of her hiding place. The youngest of the trolls, she's still just a child. She loves the colors and the scents of the flowers and when the bees and butterflies fly among the branches.

Lilja is the youngest of the trolls. The wood has not yet all faded to grey. Lilja is posed as a baby sitting with legs forward arms out reaching. A smile and wide eyes shows Lilja is happy to see you.

A more distant picture of Lilja showing hands and feet.

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Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 3d

A third troll from Coastal Main Botanical Gardens

Soren.

Soren sticks up for the BRANCHES of the tree.

Troll Etiquette - "Stay on the trails (to protect our forests).", "Please don't climb on Soren (she wants you to be safe).", "Please don't collect any living thing (including green leaves, moss, and lichen)."

Braches are alive

Soren can see that up in the branches there is a whole other world. Many animals call the treetop home. Insects are eating and growing; birds and animals making their nests and feeding their babies. Some lichens, plants, and fungi can only live in the trees.

Soren is a very curious troll; his head is always turning and twisting, searching for places even higher. He dreams about drifting around on a cloud in the sky, and when the wind is blowing, he loves to celebrate with a dance.

Soren is sitting with arms straight up, one leg up and balancing on the other leg. Hair is spiky and unkempt. A big smile. Soren is happy.

A more complete view of the happy troll.

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Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 3d

Braken fern, Pteridium aquilinum

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, October 2025

#fern #ferns

The under side of one of the three parts of the frond. The edges of pinna look burned. They are brown all around the edge. This edge is solid spores. The spores are naked. No indusium or false indusium.
Bracken spores do not appear often. It needs specific environment to put out spores. Typically direct sun, or mostly sunny is required.

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Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 3d

Another troll from Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

Gro.

Gro smiles with the LEAVES of the tree.
Leaves turn sunlight into food.
Troll Etiquette - "Stay on the trails (to protect our forest)", "Please do not climb past Gro's legs (she wants you to be safe)", "Please do not collect any living thing (including green leaves, moss, or lichen)"
Most of us cannot eat sunlight, but GRO knows trees can - with their leaves. Leaves, in turn, become the building blocks of animal life: they feed caterpillars, can caterpillars feed birds, bears, and everything in-between. Using the sun, leaves make animal life on earth possible.
Gro is the wanderer. Every fall she disappears, but the trolls are not worried because every spring she returns to the forest. On her return, Gro walks around to make sure every friend of hers is fed. After hurrying to catch a few sunbeams and a handful of raindrops, she creates a feast for the forest.

Gro is sitting in a meditative pose. Legs crossed, arms out, palms up, eyes shut, mouth open in chant. Gro has a monkish look. No hair.
Wood shingles create a tunic for Gro.
Picture is taken from 3/4 front view.

Gro seen face on. Hands are quiet large. Gro is surrounded by trees.

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Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 3d

A great visit to Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Amazing weather for early October.

The trolls welcomed all.

Below is one of five trolls, Roskva.

The trolls were designed and installed, with the help of local workers, by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. He has installations all over the world.

The Roskva troll. A 30 foot wooden structure. All wood is recycled material. Grey. Weathered. Grasping a live tree in one hand. The other hand in the soil. The feet separated. Hair is spikey. The overall stance is a being walking through the woods.

Plaque describing Roskva. "Roskva stands for the TRUNK of the tree"
"A tree trunk has many lives"
Troll Etiquette - "Stay on the trails (to protect our plants)", "Please do not climb on Roskva legs (she wants you to be safe)", "Please do not collect any living things (including green leaves, moss, or lichen)"

ROSKVA knows a tree trunk has many lives. In its first, it supports the tree and moves food around inside. After it dies, it provides habitat and food for different animals and fungi. Eventually, it becomes part of the soil, where new life will grow.

Roskva is the heaviest, hardest, and strongest of the trolls. Every day, Roskva climbs towards the sky, and every year she grows taller and wider. If a troll forgets something, they can always ask Roskva - she counts the seasons and remembers everything that happens around her.

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Reposted by Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻

Plazi @plazi-species.bsky.social · 4d

#NewSpecies
Pternopetalum wulingense
A newly discovered fern from #china!

Treatment: treatment.plazi.org/id/2FF56DBD-...
Publication: doi.org/10.3897/phyt...
#PhytoKeys #PternopetalumWulingense

#FAIRdata
#ecology #taxonomy #nature #biodiversity #conservation #wildplants #plants #wildlife #fern

Basal leaf blade of Pternopetalum wulingense.

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Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 4d

#fern #ferns

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Blue-light only: How horsetails broke the rules of stomatal control

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Reposted by Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻

eLife @elife.bsky.social · 6d

Inside a thylakoid membrane

The molecular architecture of the thylakoid membrane in a vascular plant has been determined with single-molecule precision.
buff.ly/U9TzrOh

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Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 6d

Speaking of ferns. This is a fantastic book, just published, for fern enthusiasts of all kinds.

bsky.app/profile/fern...

Fay-Wei Li @fernway.bsky.social · May 30

Shameless self-promotion continues...🙃 You might find this #fern book in your local bookstores! mailchi.mp/btiscience/f...

Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 9d

@nebotanical.bsky.social

Jeff Goodell @jeffgoodell.bsky.social · 10d

Plants understood what is going on before humans did.

juli g pausas @jgpausas.bsky.social · Jun 11

Climate warming is not a recent phenomenon; it has had detectable impacts on plants for at least 134 years!

The onset of phenological plant response to climate warming @newphyt.bsky.social
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

🧪🌎🌿🌐🌳 🍁 #PlantBiology @cideinvestiga.bsky.social @csic.es

Reposted by Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻

Kirk Amundson @kirkamundson.bsky.social · 9d

UMass Amherst Biology is recruiting a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the area of Plant Physiology. Deadline Nov 1. Please spread the word and apply!

careers.massachusetts.edu/mob/en-us/jo...

Assistant Professor - Plant Physiology

The Department of Biology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor position in the area of Plant Physiology. The successful can...

careers.massachusetts.edu

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Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 12d

Is this a whisk fern?

Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 12d

The petiole appears to be dead. Does the fungi appear when the fern has its annual dieback?

Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 13d

The two, narrow and broad, are one of the harder pairs of ferns to sort out.

Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 13d

Broad beech fern: The rachis (midrib) between the lowest pinnae is winged (leaf tissue runs along it).

Narrow beech fern: Rachis between the lowest pinnae is naked (no leafy wings).

I think it's narrow beech not broad. No leafy wings

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Keith Smith 🪴🔭💻 @fernleaf07.bsky.social · 15d

...and the restaurant decorated with large dragonfly wings.