Potential for Spore Germination, Sporophyte Formation and Growth of Young Sporophytes of Four Fern Species from the Atlantic Forest (Brazil)

摘要

The aim of this paper was to study spore germination and growth of young sporophytes of four ferns from Atlantic Forest (Brazil). Blechnum brasiliense is a subarborescent fern, Saccoloma inaequale is an herbaceous species, while Cyathea corcovadensis and Cyathea delgadii are tree ferns. The percentages of spore germination under experimental conditions were 65.3 ± 3.6% (Blechnum brasiliense), 31.7 ± 2.5% (C. corcovadensis), 77.5 ± 5.2% (C. delgadii) and 60.5 ± 2.0 [Saccoloma inaequale). The highest percentage of sporophytes produced from spore germination was 91.5 ± 2.5% for B. brasiliense and the lowest was 35.8 ± 16.2% for C. corcovadensis. The relative growth rate (RGR) ranged from 0.17 ± 0.02 cm cm~(-1) month~(-1) [C. corcovadensis) to 0.25 ± 0.06 cm cm~(-1) month~(-1) [S. inaequale). Spores stored at 7 ± 1℃ for 6 to 8 months were able to germinate and to produce mature gametophyte and sporophytes. The herbaceous species showed greater RGR than the tree species.