Some plants do not make seeds. Nonseed plants reproduce by cells called spores that can grow into a new plant or animal. Ferns and mosses are two nonseed plants that can be found in West Rockhill. Like other green plants they have chlorophyll and make their own food. Ferns grow in moist, shady sections of the forest. They have roots, stems and leaves. The leaves or fronds are often in delicate lacy patterns.

Fiddle heads opening (note the curved shape like the top of a fiddle)	Young fern in forest	Fern and mosses growing on rock next to a stream
Fern fronds	Spore cases on underside of frond	Fern fronds

Mosses grow close to the ground and grow their own food.Mosses do not have true roots, leaves, and stems. These mosses grow in moist area and use root-like structures to soak up water.

Lichens look something like moss and grow in patches on trees, rocks, and other surfaces. Lichens consist of a fungus and an algae living together, the algae providing the food and the fungus usually providing the water and protection.

Moss (dark green) and lichens (light green) growing on a rock.	Mosses at the base of the forest floor	Moss and lichens growing on a rock in the center of a stream.

Mushrooms and fungi also reproduce by spores. They differ from most plants in that they lack chlorophyll and must rely on organic material for nutrition.

Shelflike mushroom growing on the side of a tree	Mushrooms with stems and gills	Dryad's Saddle (polypore)