What's on my java fern?

[smm333]

This java fern is in my heavily planted shrimp tank it's a 20 long with plant lights. The plant was growing in java moss. The weird stuff on it was on other leaves, but not as bad. I removed the worst leaves and was able to rub it off the others. It came off in tiny green balls and definitely has to be algae or something because it smells very grass like.

[Fish Folk]

Found the sane thing on a leaf of java fern last week. I am curious about it too!

[JoeQ]

I suspect they might be baby sprouts, some ferns reproduces by budding. Of course this may not be the correct answer, but that was my first thought.

Edited January 1 by JoeQ

[lefty o]

im curious myself now seeing this. baby plants usually start as little brown dots, but who knows?

[jwcarlson]

The baby plants are only on the backsides of the leaves, aren't they?  These don't look like them to me.

[JoeQ]

Plant-lits are a little less likely IMO, I found forum posts about these 'cysts' with speculation ranging from bacteria to the plants response, caused by organisms feeding and damaging the leaves (you did mention you had shrimp, didn't you?).  But nothing from a reputable source so I won't share until I do.

Edited January 1 by JoeQ

[Natalie is new]

I don't think they are plantlets. My java ferns created a lot of little babies underneath the leaves. They look just like the adult plants almost immediately and create roots almost as quickly as leaves. Once the have some leaves and roots I pull them off the mother plant and let them float around and grow. All that is to say, I don't know what you have there,  but I don’t think they are baby plants. 

[smm333]

Definitely not plantlets. I have had those and they show tiny brown roots and leaflets. These rub off and feel kind of hard. 

[knee]

I'd put them in a small cup of water to see if they grow.