For classroom or independent investigations, the following materials and supplies may be necessary.
Culture Media and Media Preparation (per liter of prepared medium)
- inorganic salts for Basic C-Fern Nutrient Media OR pre-packaged OR prepared Basic C-Fern Nutrient Medium If using inorganic salts, supplies for weighing and preparing stock solutions (see Basic C-Fern Nutrient Medium recipe)
- 1 liter volumetric flask
- 2 liter Erlenmeyer flask
- volumetric measuring glassware (pipets, graduated cylinders)
- distilled or deionized water
- agar (specifically Bacto-agar)
- pH meter and supplies for measuring and titrating pH
- autoclave or pressure cooker
- Petri dishes
- laminar flow hood, sterile bench or equivalent
C-Fern Gametophyte Culture
- C-Fern spores: pre-sterilized or bulk, unsterilized If unsterilized spores, supplies for spore sterilization (see)
- sterile graduated conical tube
- sterile transfer pipet
- sterile distilled water
- Petri dishes containing Basic C-Fern Nutrient Medium
- sterile spore spreader
- marking pen
- Growth Pod or Culture Dome
- continuous lighting of sufficient intensity (provided by a simple 40W fluorescent lighting fixture)
- thermometer to monitor culture temperature of 28 °C
C-Fern Gametophyte Observation
- stereomicroscope and/or compound microscope
- tools for manipulation and transfer of gametophytes, e.g. forceps, needles, probes, toothpicks
- microscope slides and coverslips
- sterile distilled water
If using a kit-based investigation, some of the materials and supplies necessary for using C-Fern in the classroom are provided in the kit.
