American ferns. Fougères américaines.

 Un grand merci à Bryon pour cette série complète de 5 timbres américains à 49 cents émise le 6 Mars 2014. Les fougères sont des plantes primitives qui ne produisent ni graines ni fruits et sont confinées aux milieux humides. Leurs feuilles très développées sont appelées des frondes. En anglais, fougère se dit "fern", un mot dérivé du mot "feather" qui signifie plume et évoque l'aspect des frondes.

 Thank you Bryon for this complete set of five 49 cents stamps (March 5, 2014) featuring ferns. Ferns predate flowering plants in the earth's evolutionary history, dating back millions of years. The word “fern” is ancient as well, from the old Anglo-Saxon “fearn,” which means “feather.” Some ferns do indeed look feathery, but that is only part of the story. Types of ferns range from tiny moss - like plants to giants as tall as trees, and they flourish in diverse environments - from forests and deserts to alpine, aquatic, and tropical habitats. Worldwide there are thousands of types of ferns; North America (north of Mexico) boasts several hundred different species.