Microsorum alternifolium is a threatened fern of the family Polypodiaceae. Present paper deals with the events of spore germination, gametophyte growth and differentiation, ontogeny of sex organs and development of sporophytes in in vitro conditions. Spore germination and prothallial development is of Vittaria-type and Drynaria-type, respectively. Frequency of sporophyte production was 44% in composite gametophyte populations, while no sporophytes were produced in isolate population. Since M. alternifolium was found to have no capacity to form sporophyte through intra-gametophytic selfing, it is not a pioneer colonizer in barren land. Instead, it reproduces by inter-gametophytic selfing and also possibly by crossing. The main cause of rarity could be genetic barriers and over exploitation for economic purposes. Conservation of this taxon in the natural habitat is urgently required.
[1]
J. Hereford.
Does selfing or outcrossing promote local adaptation?
,
2010,
American journal of botany.
[2]
B. Nayar,et al.
Gametophytes of homosporous ferns
,
1971,
The Botanical Review.
[3]
H. Korpelainen.
Intragametophytic selfing does not reduce reproduction inDryopteris filix-max
,
1996,
Sexual Plant Reproduction.
[4]
J. Volin,et al.
The reproductive biology of the invasive ferns Lygodium microphyllum and L. japonicum (Schizaeaceae): implications for invasive potential.
,
2003,
American journal of botany.
[5]
P. Hedrick.
GENETIC LOAD AND THE MATING SYSTEM IN HOMOSPOROUS FERNS
,
1987,
Evolution; international journal of organic evolution.
[6]
R. Dixit.
A Census Of The Indian Pteridophytes
,
1984
.
[7]
E. Klekowski.
Reproductive biology of the Pteridophyta. II. Theoretical considerations
,
1969
.