Morphology and ultrastructure of Schizaea fistulosa (Schizaeaceae) spores from Chile

Abstract

The spores of Schizaea fistulosa from Chile were studied using light microscopy (LM), scanning (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The spores are monolete and elliptic in polar view. The major equatorial diameter is 71-85 µm and the polar diameter is 54-61 µm. The laesurae are 50-60 µm long and, in some cases, bifurcated. The sporoderm ultrastructure is first mentioned and described here. The exospore is two-layered in section, verrucate-tuberculate with single or fused elements forming short ridges. The perispore is single-layered, 10-30 nm thick and it is only visible under transmission electron microscopy. On the spore surface, numerous, single or fused, spheroids and nanospheroids of different sizes were observed attached to the perispore surface. The results are discussed and compared with previous studies in Schizaea