Cohosh Unfurling

Ferns are recognized as an ancient plant group with a characteristic growth pattern in which fronds (leaves) unfurl in a circular way. This is called circinnate vernation and is widely thought to be unique to ferns.

 

Flowering plants (angiosperms) evolved millions of years after ferns, which are considered a distant ancestor to today's plants. Yet flowering plants display growth patterns similar to ferns, in that flowers, leaves, and other body parts of today's plants "unfurl" in a way that resembles (or is) circinnate vernation. Just as plants share many other features in common with ferns, this ancestral growth pattern is reflected in modern plants, as illustrated in this photo from my garden.

Done