YU, JING*, TONG CAO, AND QUANXI WANG. Institute of Applied Ecology, Academia Sinica, Shenyang, Liaoning 110015, China. - Studies on spore morphology of the genera Trematodon and Microcampylopus (Dicranaceae) from China by SEM.
Spore morphology of two species of Trematodon and two of
Microcampylopus were observed and studied by Scanning Eledtronic
Microscope(SEM) for the first time in China. All spores of both genera
are spheroid and characterized by obvious differentiation of distal
and proximal surface and distinct ornamentation with large
bacula,spinose process or tumors.In a genus,differences of size and
ornamentation between two species are distinct and can be used as
taxonamic characters on species level. The spores of T.ambiguus and
T.longicollis are 19.1-18.8um and 20.5-20.2um,respectively. Distal
surface of T.ambiguus are covered with coarse spinate process up to
2.5-4um. The proximal surface has obvious tetrad surrounded by a
convex circle with fine verrucae on it. The distal surface of
T.longicollis are covered with large bacula,while proximal surface
with no distinct tetrad surrounded by a circle formed by regular
bacula and covered with relatively small bacula on it. The spores of
Microcampylopus laevigatus and M.kasianus are 21.9-20.5um and
19.2-18.6um,respectively.The distal surface of spores of both two
species are covered with large tumors,but the tumors of M.laevigatus
are much larger and more irregular in size than those of M.kasianus.In
addition,the proximal surface of M.laevigatus is distinct and
surrounded by a few large verrucae and covered with dense and small
granules,while that of M.kasianus is not distinct and covered with
small verrucae.
Key words: Dicranaceae, Microcampylopus, Mosses, SEM, spore morphology, Trematodon