The Fern: The fern, called Tmesipteris oblanceolata, is a small plant found in New Caledonia and nearby islands.
It reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers.
This fern holds the record for the largest genome size ever discovered in a plant or animal, 7% bigger than the previous record holder and over 50 times larger than the human genome.
Having a large genome doesn't seem to be an advantage.
It requires more resources for maintenance and slows down cell division, potentially hindering growth and competitiveness.
Scientists are unsure why this fern has such a massive genome and how it affects the plant overall.
There's no link between genome size and organism complexity.
This fern's enormous genome dwarfs that of much larger animals like whales and elephants.
Studying genome size helps understand how plants grow, compete, and respond to environmental challenges.
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