The Gametophytes of Ophioglossum Palmatum L. 1

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Gametophytes of Ophioglossum Palmatum L. 1 Amer. J. Bot. 62(9): 982-992. 1975. THE GAMETOPHYTES OF OPHIOGLOSSUM PALMATUM L. 1 MICHAEL R. MESLER Department of Botany, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48104 ABSTRACT Gametophytes of the epiphytic species Ophioglossum palmatum L. are described for the first time, bringing the number of Ophioglossum species with known gametophytes to 11. Although somewhat unusual in terms of (a) degree of branching, (b) the marked expansion of the basically cylindrical axis in some cases, and (c) production of stout, papilla-like rhizoids, the gametophytes of O. palmatum are more similar to other Ophioglossum gametophytes than they are to the gametophytes of Botrychium or Helminthostachvs. Gametophyte characters do not provide strong evidence for placing O. palmatum into a separate genus, viz., Cheiroglossa. The gametophytes of O. palmatum most closely resemble those of the other epiphytic species in the genus, O. pendulum. This similarity suggests a need for a reevaluation of modern taxonomies which, in general, treat the two species as only distantly related. THE GENUS Ophioglossum sensu lato comprises All previous interpretations of the relationships some 30 species of primarily small, terrestrial, of the members of the genus Ophioglossum s. I. fern-like plants. Only two species occur regularly have been based entirely on the sporophyte. Ga­ as epiphytes. One of these, O. pendulum L., metophytes are known from only 11 species and which extends in the Old WorId tropics from in many cases incompletely (see Boullard, 1963, Madagascar east to the Hawaiian Islands, is char­ for a review of previous reports; also Mahabale, acterized by the production of long, pendant, 1937a, b, c; Mesler, 1972, 1973). Although ribbon-like leaves which are simple or forked as Campbell (1907, 1911) and Lang (1902) de­ many as three times. Each leaf bears a single fer­ scribed the gametophytes of O. pendulum, those tile spike. In contrast, the other epiphytic spe­ of O. palmatum remained unknown until recently cies, O. palmatum L., typically bears several fer­ (Mesler, 1972). The objectives of the present tile spikes per leaf. The leaves of this species study are as follows: ( 1) to provide a detailed have an expanded basal blade region which account of the structure and development of the divides distally into a variable number of lobes. previously undescribed gametophytes of O. pal­ While best represented in the New WorId tropics matum; (2) to present preliminary observations and southern peninsular Florida, O. palmatum on the embryos of this species; (3) to describe has also been reported from Madagascar, Zaire, the natural history of the gametophytes as they oc­ Reunion, the Seychelles, and South Vietnam. cur in southern Florida; and (4) to consider the Divergent concepts of the relationships of the problems of the evolutionary relationships of O. epiphytic species to one another and to the other pendulum and O. palmatum and the taxonomic members of the genus are reflected in differing validity of the genus Cheiroglossa in light of the taxonomic treatments at the generic and sub­ new evidence from the gametophyte generation. generic levels. Whereas some authors have as­ signed O. palmatum and O. pendulum to sepa­ MATERIALS AND METHODs-Collections of ga­ rate genera, Cheiroglossa Presl and Ophioderma metophytes from a single locality in Collier Co., (Blume) Endlicher, respectively, others have Florida, were made in December, 1971, and placed them in separate subgenera, adopting a March, 1972. Although once relatively abundant broader concept of the genus Ophioglossum. At in southern Florida, O. palmatum is now pos­ least one author (Nakai, 1925, 1926) regarded sibly in danger of extinction there (Mesler, them as more closely related to each other than 1974). Previous sanctuaries for the species have to the terrestrial members of the genus and ac­ burned following extensive drainage programs in corded them common generic status under the the area. In addition, the superficial resemblance name Ophioderma (Blume) Endlicher. of O. palmatum to Platycerium (hence the col­ loquial name "dwarf staghorn fern"), coupled 1 Received for publication 24 September 1974. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the fol­ with the distinctive appearance of the species in lowing individuals for their generous assistance: W. H. its own right, has led to vandalism for horticul­ Wagner, Jr., C. E. Delchamps, J. G. Bruce, D. Beale, tural purposes. The species, however, has not R. E. Hair, and J. R. Jennings. I am especially grateful to Professor Wagner for suggesting this research project been successful in cultivation. and for critically reading the manuscript. The population of O. palmatum visited by the 982 October, 1975] MESLER-OPHIOGLOSSUM PALMATUM 983 Fig. 1-5. Ophloglossum palmatum, I. Sporophytes growing on the cabbage palmetto. X 0.18. 2. Fertile spikes at top of the stipe. X 0.75. 3. Rhizoids, surface view (stained). X 80. 4. Entire gametophyte, showing branching confined to essentially a single plane. X 14. 5. Unequal apical division (living, unstained specimen). X 20. author is confined to a mixed hardwood associa­ area has not occurred in recent years. The domi­ tion, occurring along a river in the dwarf cypress nant tree species present are Acer rubrum, Quer­ glades of southern Florida. Although signs of past cus virginiana, Taxodium distichum, and Sabal fire damage are evident, extensive burning of the palmetto. The gametophytes of O. palmatum 984 AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY [Vol. 62 were found growing in the decaying matter that tered beneath the leaf bases and, upon decom­ accumulates between the imbricate leaf bases of position, they too may add to the organic sub­ the Cabbage Palmetto. After removing portions stratum. The texture and moisture content of this of the tightly held leaf-base armor, individual ga­ substratum varies from relatively moist and com­ metophytes as well as quantities of the substra­ pact to dry, loose, and fibrous. tum in which they were growing were collected. A survey of the population indicated that the The substratum yielded additional gametophytes sporophytes of O. palmatum are not confined to after closer examination in the laboratory. specific zones on the palmettos; instead, plants of Gametophytes were fixed in FPA or medium differing ages were observed at various heights chrome-acetic, the latter solution yielding better along the stems, from 0.5 m-5 m. The roots and histological preparations. Photographs of whole stems of O. palmatum are completely covered by specimens (some of which were surface stained the palmetto leaf-base mantle; only the some­ with iron hematoxylin, following a procedure de­ what fleshy, lobed leaves extend beyond it (Fig. veloped by D. W. Bierhorst) were taken through 1, 2). The leaves exhibit considerable variation an ordinary dissecting microscope fitted with a in terms of size, number and shape of lobes, pres­ paper diaphragm for improved depth of field or ence or absence of fertile spikes, and number of with a Leitz Aristophot 4 x 5 view camera with fertile spikes borne by fertile leaves. When ma­ a 32-mm lens. Some of the gametophytes were ture, all leaves are pendant or arching, their subsequently dehydrated in a t-butanol series, laminar segments oriented approximately parallel embedded in Paraplast, and sectioned at 10-12 to the surface of the palmetto. microns by standard methods. Sections were Gametophytes of O. palmatum were found in stained with either safranin and fast green or large numbers at the locality. Although perhaps Sharman's (1943) tannic acid-iron alum-orange only a dozen palmettos bearing sporophytes were G-safranin. Other gametophytes were cleared in investigated for gametophytes, nearly two hun­ a mild clearing reagent developed by Herr (1971). dred complete gametophytes and several hundred The cleared gametophytes were examined and detached gametophyte apices were collected. photographed with a Zeiss compound microscope These were not, however, randomly distributed equipped with Nomarski interference-contrast among the palmettos. The amount of moisture optics. By focusing at various planes, it was pos­ present at the interface of the palmetto leaf-base sible to obtain a series of relatively undistorted mantle and the stem strongly influences gameto­ optical sections through portions of intact speci­ phyte distribution. Those palmettos with an es­ mens. This method was of little use, however, in sentially dry mantle and having an accumulation regions of high cytoplasmic density such as ga­ of dusty, loose debris, invariably lacked gameto­ metophyte apices. phytes. The best gametophyte growth was ob­ served on palms with tightly appressed frond bases OBSERVATIONS-Of the tree species present at which offered a relatively more moist and com­ the Collier County locality, only one, Sabal pal­ pact substratum. metto, is colonized by Ophioglossum palmatum. Attaining heights of 5 meters or more at this site, Gametophytes-The nongreen, mycotrophic ga­ the Cabbage Palmetto is characterized by a woody metophytes of O. palmatum are fundamentally mantle of persistent, imbricate leaf bases which cylindrical and much branched. However, they on most plants extends from the crown down to exhibit a considerable degree of variation in terms near ground level (Fig. 1). The decaying ma­ of overall form, cross-sectional shape, and size terials which accumulate within and underneath (Fig. 4, 6-23, 26, 28). Branches are most often the leaf-base mantle, providing the substratum oriented in several planes but may be confined to for the gametophytes and sporophytes of O. pal­ a single plane. In the latter case, the develop­ matum, appear to be derived primarily from the ment of stellate or nearly stellate forms can occur decay of leaf-base tissues. Fall litter is unlikely (Fig. 4). For descriptive purposes, many game­ to contribute significantly to the buildup of or­ tophytes may be regarded as comprising two dis­ ganic debris because of the tightly appressed na­ tinct regions: an expanded and sometimes flat­ ture of the palmetto leaf bases.
Recommended publications
  • "National List of Vascular Plant Species That Occur in Wetlands: 1996 National Summary."
    Intro 1996 National List of Vascular Plant Species That Occur in Wetlands The Fish and Wildlife Service has prepared a National List of Vascular Plant Species That Occur in Wetlands: 1996 National Summary (1996 National List). The 1996 National List is a draft revision of the National List of Plant Species That Occur in Wetlands: 1988 National Summary (Reed 1988) (1988 National List). The 1996 National List is provided to encourage additional public review and comments on the draft regional wetland indicator assignments. The 1996 National List reflects a significant amount of new information that has become available since 1988 on the wetland affinity of vascular plants. This new information has resulted from the extensive use of the 1988 National List in the field by individuals involved in wetland and other resource inventories, wetland identification and delineation, and wetland research. Interim Regional Interagency Review Panel (Regional Panel) changes in indicator status as well as additions and deletions to the 1988 National List were documented in Regional supplements. The National List was originally developed as an appendix to the Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States (Cowardin et al.1979) to aid in the consistent application of this classification system for wetlands in the field.. The 1996 National List also was developed to aid in determining the presence of hydrophytic vegetation in the Clean Water Act Section 404 wetland regulatory program and in the implementation of the swampbuster provisions of the Food Security Act. While not required by law or regulation, the Fish and Wildlife Service is making the 1996 National List available for review and comment.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Ophioglossidae (PDF, 873
    Ophioglossidae 1 Polypodiopsida Ophioglossidae – Gabelblattgewächse (Polypodiopsida) Zu den Ophioglossidae werden 2 rezente Ordnungen gestellt, die Psilotales (Gabelfarne) und die Ophioglossales (Natternzungenartigen). Die Ophioglossidae sind eine sehr alte Landpflanzengruppe. Die Blätter sind, anders als dies für viele makrophylle Farnpflanzen typisch ist, zu Beginn nicht eingerollt. Ein gemeinsames Merkmal der Psilotales mit den Ophioglossales sind eusporangiate Sporangien, d. h. die Sporangienwand weist mehrere Zellschichten auf (Unterschied lepto- sporangiate Farne, hier einschichtig). Bei einigen Arten der Psilotales fehlt eine echte Wurzel. Alle Arten sind mykotroph (Ernährung mittels Pilzsymbiose im Boden, Mykorrhiza). 1. Ordnung: Psilotales (Gabelfarne) 1.1 Systematik und Verbreitung Die Ordnung der Psilotales enthält nur 1 Familie, die Psilotaceae mit nur 2 Gattungen und 17 Arten (Psilotum 2 und Tmesipteris 15 Arten). Die Familie ist überwiegend tropisch verbreitet. 1.2 Morphologie 1.2.1 Habitus Die Arten der Psilotales sind ausschließlich krautige Pflanzen mit einem kräftigen, unterirdischen Kriechspross (Rhizom), das zahlreiche Rhizoide ausbildet. Echte Wurzeln fehlen. Die vollständige Reduktion der Wurzel wird hier als sekundäres, abgeleitetes Merkmal angesehen. Wie der Gametophyt ist auch der Sporophyt mykotroph, was erst die morphologische Reduktion der Wurzel erlaubte. Die oberirdischen sparrig dichotom verzweigten Sprossachsen weisen eine (angedeutete) Siphonostele mit einem holzigen Mark auf. Die unterirdischen Rhizome haben hingegen eine Protostele. 1.2.2 Blatt Arten aus den Psilotales haben ausschließlich schraubig angeordnete Mikrophylle. Bei Psilotum sind nur die Sporophylle Gabelblätter (im Unterschied zu den sterilen © PD DR. VEIT M. DÖRKEN, Universität Konstanz, FB Biologie Ophioglossidae 2 Polypodiopsida Blättern). Die Photosynthese erfolgt daher hauptsächlich über die chlorophyllreichen Sprossachsen (Rutenstrauch-Prinzip). Abb. 1 & 2: Psilotum nudum, dichotom verzweigte Sprossachse (links); Querschnitt einer Sprossachse (rechts).
    [Show full text]
  • A High Polyploid Chromosome Complement of Ophioglossum Nudicaule L
    © 2007 The Japan Mendel Society Cytologia 72(2): 161–164, 2007 A High Polyploid Chromosome Complement of Ophioglossum nudicaule L. f. Marunnan Faseena and John Ernest Thoppil* Genetics and Plant breeding Division, Department of Botany, University of Calicut,Pin Code-673635, Kerala, India Received January 9, 2007; accepted January 31, 2007 Summary The diploid (2nϭ720) and haploid (2nϭ360) chromosome numbers were determined in Ophioglossum nudicaule. The somatic chromosome count was made on the plant for the first time. O. nudicaule is a very high polyploid plant, either exhibiting 48-ploidy, if the basic chromosome ϭ ϭ number is x2 15 or a 24-ploid, originating from the basic chromosome number of x3 30. Key words Ophioglossum nudicaule, Ophioglossaceae, Mitosis, Meiosis, Polyploidy, Basic chro- mosome number. Ophioglossum nudicaule L. f. (Slender Adder’s tongue) belongs to Ophioglossaceae, a family of primitive ferns. It is a tiny terrestrial herb found in dense patches on the thin soil cover over lat- erite boulders in open areas, roadside ditches and lawns. It is distributed throughout Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, Asia, Africa and Pacific Islands. In Kerala, it is common in hills and rocky areas all over the Malabar plains and Munnar (Kumar 1998). Previous studies re- port that homosporous ferns show extremely high chromosome numbers. In O. nudicaule different chromosome numbers, viz. nϭ120 (Ninan 1958), nϭ240 (Ninan 1956, Manickam 1984) and nϭ360 (Ghatak 1977) have been reported. So the present investigation is an attempt to find out the exact somatic and gametic chromosome numbers of O. nudicaule. Materials and methods In the present investigation, O.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Plant Reviews Volume 45: the Evolution of Plant Form
    See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235418621 Annual Plant Reviews Volume 45: The Evolution of Plant Form Chapter · January 2013 DOI: 10.1002/9781118305881.ch4 CITATIONS READS 12 590 1 author: Harald Schneider Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden 374 PUBLICATIONS 14,108 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Nuclear DNA C‐values in ferns and lycophytes of Argentina View project Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group View project All content following this page was uploaded by Harald Schneider on 19 June 2017. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. BLBK441-c04 BLBK441-Ambrose Trim: 234mm 156mm September 15, 2012 11:24 × Annual Plant Reviews (2013) 45, 115–140 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com doi: 10.1002/9781118305881.ch4 Chapter 4 EVOLUTIONARY MORPHOLOGY OF FERNS (MONILOPHYTES) Harald Schneider Department of Botany, Natural History Museum, London, UK Abstract: Throughout its long history, concepts of plant morphology have been mainly developed by studying seed plants, in particular angiosperms. This chap- ter provides an overview to the morphology of ferns by exploring the evolutionary background of the early diversification of ferns, by discussing the main structures and organs of ferns, and finally by exploring our current knowledge of fern ge- nomics and evolutionary developmental biology. Horsetails (Equisetopsida) and whisk ferns (Psilotales) are treated as part of the fern lineage. Throughout the chap- ter, I employ a process-oriented approach, which combines the process orientation of the Arberian Fuzzy Morphology with the process orientation of Darwinian evolution as reflected in current phylogenetics.
    [Show full text]
  • Ophioglossaceae)
    A preliminary revision of the Indo-Pacific species of Ophioglossum (Ophioglossaceae) J.H. Wieffering Rijksherbarium, Leyden INTRODUCTION the of Clausen The differences between most recent complete treatment this genus by and the of a rather fundamental (1938) present revision are, I think, nature. For, though the number of characters Dr Clausen and myselfagree that in troublesometaxa, ‘the small has forced workers base conclusions often trivial .... .... to concerning species on details such leaf characters which be as cutting and size, would not ordinarily considered of fundamental in other from there have followed importance groups’ (l.c. p. 5), on we these characters a different train of thought. Clausen stated (l.c. p. 6) that ‘If were not criteria for it would be reduce the small adopted as species, necessary to species to a very number and the which thereby remove opportunity to keep apart populations appear to be really distinct enough, but for which the characters available for species differen- tiation do not seem fundamental.’ This close comes very to Prantl’s critics (1884, 300) on Luerssen’s treatise where he ob sie the forms which stated: “.... so scheint die Frage, (i.e. Luerssen brought together under O. vulgatum) als Vatietätenoder als ebensoviele Arten zu bezeichnen sein, von untergeordneter Bedeutung zu sein Es gibt eine grosse Anzahl von Sammlern, Floristen etc., deren wissenschaftliches Bedürfnis befriedigt ist, wenn sie auf Etiquetten oder in Katalogen einen aus zwei Worten bestehenden Namen schreiben können; auf ‘Varietäten’ wird eine Rücksicht in der Regel nicht genommen.” In order to facilitate studies based these determinations Prantl then chose small geographical on to accept a species concept.
    [Show full text]
  • Ophioglossum Nudicaule L.F
    Available online at www.ijpab.com ISSN: 2320 – 7051 Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 2 (2): 163-173 (2014) Research Article INTERNATIONAL JO URNAL OF PURE & APPLIED BIOSCIENCE Recognition of plant associations useful for conservation of Ophioglossum nudicaule L.f. and Ophioglossum vulgatum L. in the eastern lateritic part of India Sumit Manna 1 and Anirban Roy 2* 1West Bengal Biodiversity Board, Department of Environment, Government of West Bengal. Paribesh Bhawan, 10 A, LA Block, Sector- III, Saltlake City, Kolkata – 700098 West Bengal. India 2West Bengal Biodiversity Board, Department of Environment, Government of West Bengal. Paribesh Bhawan, 10 A, LA Block, Sector- III, Saltlake City, Kolkata – 700098 West Bengal. India *Corresponding Author E-mail: [email protected] ______________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT For the past few decades, populations of different species of Ophioglossum (Ophioglossaceae) including Ophioglossum nudicaule and Ophioglossum vulgatum have become more restricted in geographic range due to alteration of their actual or potential habitat conditions and therefore are designated as rare species of India. To find out the potential habitats of Ophioglossum for protection of their ancient gene pool, it is important to identify their plant associates as well as the nature of those associations. Structural parameters of the community such as density, abundance, frequency, relative abundance, relative frequency and importance value index of these two species of Ophioglossum and their co-existing plants were measured based on a quadrat study of three tropical deciduous forests of the lateritic part of West Bengal, India. This study reveals that there is a strong negative correlation in the association of O. nudicaule and O.
    [Show full text]
  • Adder's Tongue Fern, Ophioglossum Pusillum
    Natural Heritage Adder’s Tongue Fern & Endangered Species Ophioglossum pusillum Raf. Program www.mass.gov/nhesp State Status: Threatened Federal Status: None Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife DESCRIPTION: Adder’s Tongue Fern is a small terrestrial fern, up to 30 cm (12 in) high, consisting of a single fleshy green stalk (stipe) bearing a simple leaf and a fertile spike. The stipe arises from fleshy, cod-like rhizomes and roots. About midway up the stipe is the pale green leaf, approximately 15 cm (6 in), narrowly oval to oblong. In var. pseudopodium (false foot), the widespread form, the blade gradually tapers for about 1/3 to 2/3 of its length to a narrow, 1-2 cm base that continues to run down the lower stipe. There is a finely indented network of interconnecting veins. The stipe extends well beyond the leaf blade and is terminated by a short, pale green, narrow fertile spike from 1-4 cm long and up to 5 mm wide, which consists of 2 tightly packed rows of rounded sporangia (spore cases) on the margins of the spike axis. There can be a large variation in the size, shape, and position of the blade, as well as of the fertile spike; occurrences of two fronds (leaves) per rootstalk have been observed. The plant appears anytime after early June. Distribution in Massachusetts 1985 - 2010 Based on records in the Natural Heritage Database Photo: B. Legler, USDA Forest Service. Drawing: USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions.
    [Show full text]
  • Pteridologist 2007
    PTERIDOLOGIST 2007 CONTENTS Volume 4 Part 6, 2007 EDITORIAL James Merryweather Instructions to authors NEWS & COMMENT Dr Trevor Walker Chris Page 166 A Chilli Fern? Graham Ackers 168 The Botanical Research Fund 168 Miscellany 169 IDENTIFICATION Male Ferns 2007 James Merryweather 172 TREE-FERN NEWSLETTER No. 13 Hyper-Enthusiastic Rooting of a Dicksonia Andrew Leonard 178 Most Northerly, Outdoor Tree Ferns Alastair C. Wardlaw 178 Dicksonia x lathamii A.R. Busby 179 Tree Ferns at Kells House Garden Martin Rickard 181 FOCUS ON FERNERIES Renovated Palace for Dicksoniaceae Alastair C. Wardlaw 184 The Oldest Fernery? Martin Rickard 185 Benmore Fernery James Merryweather 186 FEATURES Recording Ferns part 3 Chris Page 188 Fern Sticks Yvonne Golding 190 The Stansfield Memorial Medal A.R. Busby 191 Fern Collections in Manchester Museum Barbara Porter 193 What’s Dutch about Dutch Rush? Wim de Winter 195 The Fine Ferns of Flora Græca Graham Ackers 203 CONSERVATION A Case for Ex Situ Conservation? Alastair C. Wardlaw 197 IN THE GARDEN The ‘Acutilobum’ Saga Robert Sykes 199 BOOK REVIEWS Encyclopedia of Garden Ferns by Sue Olsen Graham Ackers 170 Fern Books Before 1900 by Hall & Rickard Clive Jermy 172 Britsh Ferns DVD by James Merryweather Graham Ackers 187 COVER PICTURE: The ancestor common to all British male ferns, the mountain male fern Dryopteris oreades, growing on a ledge high on the south wall of Bealach na Ba (the pass of the cattle) Unless stated otherwise, between Kishorn and Applecross in photographs were supplied the Scottish Highlands - page 172. by the authors of the articles PHOTO: JAMES MERRYWEATHER in which they appear.
    [Show full text]
  • Botrychium Hesperium Barneby (Western Moonwort) a Technical Conservation Assessment
    Botrychium hesperium Barneby (western moonwort) A Technical Conservation Assessment Prepared for the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Species Conservation Project April 12, 2004 David G. Anderson and Dan Cariveau Colorado Natural Heritage Program Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO 80523 Peer Review Administered by Center for Plant Conservation Anderson, D.G. and D. Cariveau (2004, April 12). Botrychium hesperium Barneby (western moonwort): a technical conservation assessment. [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Available: http:// www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assessments/botrychiumhesperium.pdf [date of access]. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research was greatly facilitated by the helpfulness and generosity of many experts, particularly Reed Crook, Don Farrar, Warren Hauk, Cindy Johnson-Groh, Peter Root, Dave Steinmann, Florence Wagner, and Loraine Yeatts. Their interest in the project and their time spent answering our questions were extremely valuable. Dr. Kathleen Ahlenslager also provided valuable assistance and literature. The Natural Heritage Program/Natural Heritage Inventory/Natural Diversity Database Botanists we consulted (Craig Freeman, Joyce Gould, Bonnie Heidel, Dave Ode, Gerry Steinauer) were also extremely helpful. Greg Hayward, Gary Patton, Jim Maxwell, Andy Kratz, Beth Burkhart, and Joy Bartlett assisted with questions and project management. Jane Nusbaum, Carmen Morales, Betty Eckert, Candyce Jeffery, and Barbara Brayfield provided crucial financial oversight. Others who provided information and assistance include Annette Miller, Janet Wingate, and Loraine Yeatts. Loraine provided the excellent photo of Botrychium hesperium. We are grateful to the Colorado Natural Heritage Program staff (Jim Gionfriddo, Jill Handwerk, and Susan Spackman) who reviewed the first draft of this document, and to the two anonymous peer reviewers for their excellent suggestions.
    [Show full text]
  • The Ferns and Their Relatives (Lycophytes)
    N M D R maidenhair fern Adiantum pedatum sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis N D N N D D Christmas fern Polystichum acrostichoides bracken fern Pteridium aquilinum N D P P rattlesnake fern (top) Botrychium virginianum ebony spleenwort Asplenium platyneuron walking fern Asplenium rhizophyllum bronze grapefern (bottom) B. dissectum v. obliquum N N D D N N N R D D broad beech fern Phegopteris hexagonoptera royal fern Osmunda regalis N D N D common woodsia Woodsia obtusa scouring rush Equisetum hyemale adder’s tongue fern Ophioglossum vulgatum P P P P N D M R spinulose wood fern (left & inset) Dryopteris carthusiana marginal shield fern (right & inset) Dryopteris marginalis narrow-leaved glade fern Diplazium pycnocarpon M R N N D D purple cliff brake Pellaea atropurpurea shining fir moss Huperzia lucidula cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea M R N M D R Appalachian filmy fern Trichomanes boschianum rock polypody Polypodium virginianum T N J D eastern marsh fern Thelypteris palustris silvery glade fern Deparia acrostichoides southern running pine Diphasiastrum digitatum T N J D T T black-footed quillwort Isoëtes melanopoda J Mexican mosquito fern Azolla mexicana J M R N N P P D D northern lady fern Athyrium felix-femina slender lip fern Cheilanthes feei net-veined chain fern Woodwardia areolata meadow spike moss Selaginella apoda water clover Marsilea quadrifolia Polypodiaceae Polypodium virginanum Dryopteris carthusiana he ferns and their relatives (lycophytes) living today give us a is tree shows a current concept of the Dryopteridaceae Dryopteris marginalis is poster made possible by: { Polystichum acrostichoides T evolutionary relationships among Onocleaceae Onoclea sensibilis glimpse of what the earth’s vegetation looked like hundreds of Blechnaceae Woodwardia areolata Illinois fern ( green ) and lycophyte Thelypteridaceae Phegopteris hexagonoptera millions of years ago when they were the dominant plants.
    [Show full text]
  • Horsetails and Ferns Are a Monophyletic Group and the Closest Living Relatives to Seed Plants
    letters to nature joining trees and the amino-acid maximum parsimony phylogenies, and 100 replicates for ................................................................. the nucleotide maximum likelihood tree and the amino-acid distance-based analyses (Dayhoff PAM matrix) (see Supplementary Information for additional trees and summary Horsetails and ferns are a of bootstrap support). We performed tests of alternative phylogenetic hypotheses using Kishino±Hasegawa29 (parsimony and likelihood) and Templeton's non-parametric30 tests. monophyletic group and the Received 30 October; accepted 4 December 2000. closestlivingrelativestoseedplants 1. Eisenberg, J. F. The Mammalian Radiations (Chicago Univ. Press, Chicago, 1981). 2. Novacek, M. J. Mammalian phylogeny: shaking the tree. Nature 356, 121±125 (1992). 3. O'Brien, S. J. et al. The promise of comparative genomics in mammals. Science 286, 458±481 (1999). Kathleen M. Pryer*, Harald Schneider*, Alan R. Smith², 4. Springer, M. S. et al. Endemic African mammals shake the phylogenetic tree. Nature 388, 61±64 (1997). Raymond Cran®ll², Paul G. Wolf³, Jeffrey S. Hunt* & Sedonia D. Sipes³ 5. Stanhope, M. J. et al. Highly congruent molecular support for a diverse clade of endemic African mammals. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 9, 501±508 (1998). * Department of Botany, The Field Museum of Natural History, 6. McKenna, M. C. & Bell, S. K. Classi®cation of Mammals above the Species Level (Columbia Univ. Press, New York, 1997). 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60605, USA 7. Mouchatty, S. K., Gullberg, A., Janke, A. & Arnason, U. The phylogenetic position of the Talpidae ² University Herbarium, University of California, 1001 Valley Life Sciences within Eutheria based on analysis of complete mitochondrial sequences. Mol.
    [Show full text]
  • Biogeographical Patterns of Species Richness, Range Size And
    Biogeographical patterns of species richness, range size and phylogenetic diversity of ferns along elevational-latitudinal gradients in the tropics and its transition zone Kumulative Dissertation zur Erlangung als Doktorgrades der Naturwissenschaften (Dr.rer.nat.) dem Fachbereich Geographie der Philipps-Universität Marburg vorgelegt von Adriana Carolina Hernández Rojas aus Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexiko Marburg/Lahn, September 2020 Vom Fachbereich Geographie der Philipps-Universität Marburg als Dissertation am 10.09.2020 angenommen. Erstgutachter: Prof. Dr. Georg Miehe (Marburg) Zweitgutachterin: Prof. Dr. Maaike Bader (Marburg) Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 27.10.2020 “An overwhelming body of evidence supports the conclusion that every organism alive today and all those who have ever lived are members of a shared heritage that extends back to the origin of life 3.8 billion years ago”. This sentence is an invitation to reflect about our non- independence as a living beins. We are part of something bigger! "Eine überwältigende Anzahl von Beweisen stützt die Schlussfolgerung, dass jeder heute lebende Organismus und alle, die jemals gelebt haben, Mitglieder eines gemeinsamen Erbes sind, das bis zum Ursprung des Lebens vor 3,8 Milliarden Jahren zurückreicht." Dieser Satz ist eine Einladung, über unsere Nichtunabhängigkeit als Lebende Wesen zu reflektieren. Wir sind Teil von etwas Größerem! PREFACE All doors were opened to start this travel, beginning for the many magical pristine forest of Ecuador, Sierra de Juárez Oaxaca and los Tuxtlas in Veracruz, some of the most biodiverse zones in the planet, were I had the honor to put my feet, contemplate their beauty and perfection and work in their mystical forest. It was a dream into reality! The collaboration with the German counterpart started at the beginning of my academic career and I never imagine that this will be continued to bring this research that summarizes the efforts of many researchers that worked hardly in the overwhelming and incredible biodiverse tropics.
    [Show full text]