Or understanding of fern organismal biology and ecology has grown significantly over the last decade. Much of this growth has been driven by an increased understanding that the study of fern ecology must include observations of both the gametophyte and sporophyte generations. While a growing number of studies have demonstrated the unique and pivotal role that the gametophyte plays in fern ecology and evolution, relatively few studies exist that carefully examine the ecology of the entire fern lifecycle.  The goal of this talk is to present a comprehensive data set, derived from more than a decades-long field study, on the hemiepiphytic fern Lomariopsis vestita. Specifically, the work examines the establishment and habitats of gametophytes, the early growth and recruitment of sporophytes into the population, gametophyte stress physiology, shifts in ecophysiology as plants transition from epiphytes to terrestrial-rooted individuals, changes in vascular anatomy across organs in the sporophytes, and population-level genetic diversity. The results of this project reveal a remarkable level of ecological flexibility in this unusual species. Gametophytes were consistently much more widespread over the landscape compared to sporophytes; gametophytes and young epiphytic sporophytes were more desiccation tolerant while sporophytes with larger, more complex leaves were desiccation sensitive. Data from isotopes demonstrated a shift in both carbon and nitrogen relations as epiphytic plants contact the soil.  Rooted sporophyte physiology was loosely linked to plant height whereas the physiology of younger epiphytic plants was less predictable. Finally, data from enzyme electrophoresis reveal that some populations of Lomariopsis vestita maintain levels of genetic diversity indicative of an outcrossing breeding system. Taken together, these data demonstrate the value of a life-cycle approach when attempting to understand fern ecology and an unexpected level of plasticity in this species.