fern

Diagnostic character combination

Record the combination of visible characters supporting or contradicting the proposed identity.

1. What frond division, venation, stipe, scale or hair characters and stem features are observable? definition
2. Which identification key or expert determination supports the candidate identity, and which characters remain unchecked? provenance

Sporangia versus look-alikes

Document suspected reproductive structures and the evidence distinguishing them from damage or attached organisms.

1. Where are suspected sporangia located, how are they arranged, and are coverings or specialised fertile fronds visible? definition
2. What observation would distinguish these structures from scale insects, eggs, lesions or other look-alikes? boundary

Assessment unit

Define a practical observation unit without assuming that nearby fronds are separate organisms.

1. Which fronds arise from the same visible crown, rhizome or trunk, and which connections are only suspected? boundary
2. Would lifting, cutting or dividing this unit disturb growth beyond the intended specimen? action

Stage and fertility

Separate developmental identity from the current presence of fertile structures.

1. Is the observed organism a gametophyte or sporophyte, and what evidence supports that assessment? definition
2. What evidence shows whether fertile structures are immature, releasing spores, spent or of unresolved maturity? measurement

Medium and water fit

Relate observed growing conditions to requirements established for the identified fern.

1. What supports the roots and rhizome, and how do wetness and drainage change between watering or rainfall events? measurement
2. What taxon-specific evidence supports the current attachment, planting depth and moisture regime? provenance

Exposure fit

Record exposure patterns relevant to frond function and stress.

1. What light, temperature, humidity and drying-air exposure reach the fronds over a representative day? measurement
2. Which measured conditions fall outside documented tolerances for the candidate taxon and life stage? boundary

Growth versus decline

Record whether frond replacement and loss are compatible with the fern's expected seasonal behaviour.

1. How many fronds are emerging, expanding, mature or dying, and how has that distribution changed? measurement
2. What evidence distinguishes expected seasonal frond loss from abnormal decline in this fern? boundary

Stress evidence

Describe symptoms and competing explanations before selecting treatment.

1. Where are discolouration, wilting, tissue loss or softening occurring, and how quickly are they spreading? measurement
2. What additional inspection would discriminate among moisture stress, exposure injury, physical damage and a pest or pathogen? action

Targeted care change

Specify the evidence, intended benefit and follow-up for an intervention.

1. Which observed condition justifies changing watering, exposure, medium or placement, and what taxon-specific guidance supports the change? action
2. Which changes in new-frond development, turgor or symptom progression would indicate improvement or deterioration, and over what interval? measurement

Propagation readiness

Establish a supported propagation route and its constraints before removing material.

1. Does this fern have growth suitable for division or mature spores suitable for collection, and what evidence supports the proposed method? action
2. What ownership, collection or conservation restrictions apply to removing this specimen or its reproductive material? boundary

Kinds and varieties

Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.

1. Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of fern this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Identifiers and schemes

Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.

1. Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of fern this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Standards and regulation

Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.

1. Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of fern this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Real-world use

Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.

1. Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of fern this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Typical measurements

Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.

1. Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of fern this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Failure modes and hazards

Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.

1. Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of fern this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Regional variation

Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.

1. Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of fern this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance

Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart

Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.

1. Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of fern this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance