Abstract

ESCAMILLA-AQUINO, Ana María; ARREGUIN-SANCHEZ, Ma. de la Luz  and  FERNANDEZ-NAVA, Rafael. Biological cycles of Anemia muenchii Christ (Schizaceae-Pteridophyta) and Pityrogramma calomelanos (L.) Link (Adiantaceae-Pteridophyta). Polibotánica [online]. 2008, n.26, pp.101-111. ISSN 1405-2768.

We describe the life cycles of Anemia muenchii Christ and Pityrogramma calomelanos (L.) Link. Study material was collected from montane rain forest in Calintla, San Bartolo Tutotepec, Hidalgo, Mexico. Spores were sown in glass flasks prepared in the following manner: the flasks were layered with ceramic, river stone, mosquito net and two culture media (soil and maquique), all previously sterilized and enclosed in plastic bags tied with copper wire. Both cycles were typically isosporic, with prothallial development of the Ceratopteris type. In A. muenchii the mature gametophyte was cordate with marginal unicellular tricornes. In P. calomelanos the mature gametophyte was also cordate but glabrous. This is the first contribution to the knowledge of the biology of this genus. We recommend this species for potential commercial exploitation, because life cycle development and sporophyte growth were rapid (142-168 days), whereas in A. muenchii life cycle development took almost one year, and sporophyte growth was very slow.

Keywords : life cycle; Anemia; Pityrogramma; gametophyte development; sporophyte development.