Spore morphology of Haplopteris C. Presl species (Vittarioideae, Pteridaceae) from China

Abstract

A comparative study of spores of four species of Haplopteris C. Presl, H. amboinensis (Fée) X.C. Zhang, H. forrestiana (Ching) E.H. Crane, H. linearifolia (Ching) X.C. Zhang, and H. mediosora (Hayata) X.C. Zhang, from China was performed using the method of scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Spores of Haplopteris species are bilateral monolete ellipsoidal or ellipsoidal, but slightly narrowed in the middle. Perispore thin, easily breakable, smooth; exospore smooth, its surface is finely granulate or finely undulate (as seen at higher magnification). Haplopteris amboinensis have the largest spores (79.5×34.3×40.9 μм), H. mediosora – the smallest one 49.2×24.5×24.9 μм).