CICLOS BIOLÓGICOS DE ANEMIA MUENCHII CHRIST (SCHIZAECEAEPTERIDOPHYTA) Y PITYROGRAMMA CALOMELANOS (L.) LINK (ADIANTACEAE-PTERIDOPHYTA)*

Abstract

We describe the life cycles of Anemia
muenchii Christ and Pityrogramma calomelanos (L.) Link. Study material was collected from montane rain forest in Calintla,
San Bartolo Tutotepec, Hidalgo, Mexico.
Spores were sown in glass flasks prepared
in the following manner: the flasks were
layered with ceramic, river stone, mosquito
net and two culture media (soil and maquique), all previously sterilized and enclosed
in plastic bags tied with copper wire.
Both cycles were typically isosporic,
with prothallial development of the Ceratopteris type. In A. muenchii the mature
gametophyte was cordate with marginal
unicellular tricomes. In P. calomelanos the
mature gametophyte was also cordate but
glabrous. This is the first contribution to
the knowledge of the biology of this genus.
We recommend this species for potential
commercial exploitation, because life cycle
development and sporophyte growth were
rapid (142-168 days), whereas in A. muenchii life cycle development took almost one
year, and sporophyte growth was very slow.