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Fern prothallus as aquatic plants

B

Badis

New Member
Joined
10 Sep 2024
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5
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Vigo
I've been curious for a few days about how a prothallus of a terrestrial fern species, such as Lomariopsis lineata, can grow continuously under water without any problem. Yes, I am talking about Süßwassertang. I only know of one other similar case, that of the Microsorum (Leptochilus) pteropus prothallus, but as this is an aquatic species it does not seem so surprising. Anyway, in both cases, I am curious why the gametophyte does not give rise to the sporophyte. Although I'm biologist, botany is not my field, but as far as I know, an aqueous medium is required for gametes produced by gametophytes to fuse and give rise to sporophytes.

Why doesn't this happen in these cases?

Could the prothalli/gametophytes of other fern species be used as aquatic plants?
 
Hi all,
Welcome to UKAPS,
Badis said:
I've been curious for a few days about how a prothallus of a terrestrial fern species, such as Lomariopsis lineata, can grow continuously under water without any problem. Yes, I am talking about Süßwassertang.
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That is a interesting question. As far as I know it's the only one.
Badis said:
I only know of one other similar case, that of the Microsorum (Leptochilus) pteropus prothallus, but as this is an aquatic species it does not seem so surprising.
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It isn't really exactly aquatic, <"it is a terrestrial fern"> that grows in zones which are often inundated.
Microsorum-cf-javanense-SAJ-1676-11.jpg

Badis said:
Anyway, in both cases, I am curious why the gametophyte does not give rise to the sporophyte.
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In the UK we have a filmy fern (Killarney Fern - (Trichomanes speciosum)) that usually <"occurs only as a gametophyte">.
Badis said:
Although I'm biologist, botany is not my field, but as far as I know, an aqueous medium is required for gametes produced by gametophytes to fuse and give rise to sporophytes.
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It is, the the male haploid gamete migrates in a film of water from the antheridia to the archegonia, same in all Pteridophyta, even those that <"grow in deserts">.
Badis said:
Could the prothalli/gametophytes of other fern species be used as aquatic plants?
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Almost certainly they could, it would just be a case of finding them and recognising they weren't thalloid Liverworts.

Cheers Darrel
 
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dw1305 said:
It isn't really exactly aquatic, it is a terrestrial fern that grows in zones which are often inundated.
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True!
dw1305 said:
In the UK we have a filmy fern (Killarney Fern - (Trichomanes speciosum)) that usually occurs only as a gametophyte.
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I had no idea. This species is also present in my region.

dw1305 said:
It is, the the male haploid cell migrates in a film of water from the antheridia to the archegonia, same in all Pteridophyta, even those that grow in deserts.
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What intrigues me is why this doesn't happen with Süßwassertang. I read the paper about its ID (Identifying a mysterious aquatic fern gametophyte - Plant Systematics and Evolution), but I couldn't find the answer.

dw1305 said:
Almost certainly they could, it would just be a case of finding them and recognising they weren't thalloid Liverworts.
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I'm planning to try using spores from another genus in the Lomariopsidaceae family (Nepholepis spp.). I work at a research center (microbiology), but it'll be tricky to get the spores at this time of year.

If I do get them, I'll share the process here 🙂

Cheers!


Cheers!
 
Badis said:
I'm planning to try using spores from another genus in the Lomariopsidaceae family (Nepholepis spp.). I work at a research center (microbiology), but it'll be tricky to get the spores at this time of year.
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You might look at Antrophyum cf. plantagineum as another viable candidate that is commercially available. Like Lomariopsis lineata this is understood to be a fern that gets stuck in the prothallium state. I grow this in my vivariums, maybe I'll try sticking a little piece of stone with some in the aquarium.
 
dw1305 said:
Now that looks interesting. Is this your post @louis_last <"Xaxim">?

cheers Darrel
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Thats me. And it's a very cool plant for emersed setups, it's not the fastest grower but it will eventually green an entire tank if you want it to with a carpet of those dense little emerald cups. Eventually it produces some fronds but they are almost always small and abortive, once or twice for me it has produced very small mature plants but they never survive even though I have several other epiphytic ferns growing in the same conditions . I don't have any huge expanses of it because there's minimal exposed substrate in my emersed vivaria but it propagates very easily so there's little patches of it everywhere.
 
Yesterday, I manage to get spores of Osmunda regalis and Athyrium filix-femina
louis_last said:
You might look at Antrophyum cf. plantagineum as another viable candidate that is commercially available. Like Lomariopsis lineata this is understood to be a fern that gets stuck in the prothallium state. I grow this in my vivariums, maybe I'll try sticking a little piece of stone with some in the aquarium.
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Let me know if you give it a try 🙂
dw1305 said:
Hi all,

I grow <"Nephrolepis exaltata and N. cordifolia">. I'll see if they have any spores on them. They both self propagate vegetatively really easily, so I've never looked.

Now that looks interesting. Is this your post @louis_last <"Xaxim">?

cheers Darrel
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That would be fantastic!
 
dw1305 said:
Hi all,

I had a look and no spores on either. Possibly because they are growing fairly strongly vegetatively? I'll see if I can find what conditions are likely to make Nephrolepis ssp. produce spores.

cheers Darrel
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Ops! Maybe it's because of the season?

Who knows... :/
 
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