Developmental Patterns and Taxonomic Significance of Gametophytes of Five Species in Aspidiaceae

We used light microscopy to observe the spore germination and gametophytic development of five species belonging to four genera in Aspidiaceae: Ctenitis subglandulosa (Hance) Ching, Ctenitis decurrenti-pinnata (Ching) Ching, Ctenitopsis sagenioides (Mett.) Ching, Pleocnemia winitti Holtt. and Tectaria leptophylla (C. H. Wright) Ching. The characteristics of each gametophytic developmental stage were recorded. The developmental patterns of spores, filament, young prothallus, meristem, wings, cells, hairs and rhizoids of the five species showed stable taxonomic significance. The results are similar to the reported classification results for Aspidiaceae, and a key to five taxa in Aspidiaceae was made on the basis of these results. This paper provides detailed materials of the gametophyte development of the five species in Aspidiaceae.