How to judge the maturity of fern spores? Can you tell it by looking at the sporophyll spike or by observing the spores under a microscope?
First, there are various types of sori development (simple, gradual, and mixed); based on the synchronicity of sporangium development. In the simple, all sporangia growth synchronic, and also release the spores. Meanwhile, there is a differential development of sporangia in the other two. But in the mixed, the sporangia production is continuous, and the release period of spores is longer (Foster & Gifford, 1959). But if you want watch the sporophylls, you must also know the color of the spores because, in main ferns, the mature spores are brown (but there are exceptions of green spores in Hymenophylales, and Osmundales; yellow in Polypodiaceae in part; or black in some Pteridaceae, and Thelypteridaceae). But I recommend also seeing with a jewel glass if the sporangia are still closed.
The image attached corresponds to Annogramma (Pteridaceae), so you´ll easily recognize the mature sporangium.
Yo can see a simple sori in Poppinga et al., 2015 (Article Sporangium Exposure and Spore Release in the Peruvian Maiden...
)- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Linguistics
- Composition Studies
- Writing