Development of Sex Organs of Fern Prothallia under Prolonged Cultivation

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Abstract
The continuation shoots (clones) of individual prothallia of Matteuccia nodulosa and Osmunda claytoniana were grown in cultures for 8 yrs. Their continued existence was made possible by preventing the development of sporophytes. All conclusions reached at the end of the first 4 years of continuous cultivation were confirmed during the subsequent 4 years. The vigorous clones attained the size of the liverwort Marchantia, having a pronounced midrib and branching dichotomously. When growth was most vigorous and rapid the clones bore, as a rule, only archegonia. Less favorable conditions of growth facilitated the production of antheridial proliferations. These developed mainly from the older parts of the midrib and from the thinner margins. The proliferations seem to be exhausted in the production of antheridia, as they did not continue to grow, but finally dried up. This study lends support to the theory that sex is quantitative and not qualitative. The spores and their resulting gametophytes are bisexual haploids. Vigorous growth results in the development of archegonia almost exclusively, while less vigorous growth leads to the production of antheridial proliferations also upon the same clones.

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