Evidences of Hybridism in Selaginella

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Abstract
Studies of formation and growth of spores in 6 greenhouse (S. amoena, S. kraussiana, S. martensii var. variegata, S. emmeliana, S. flabellata, S. mandaiana) and 2 native spp. (S. apoda, S. rupestris) of Selaginella reveal the following aberrancies: pathological conditions in the tapetum and dehiscing layer of the sporangia; failure of large numbers of spore mother cells to divide; much chromatin in the cytoplasm of dividing spore mother cells; irregular meiosis; polycary; dyad spores; sterile and collapsed spores. In S. mandaiana division usually takes place without chromosome formation; either (1) the chromatin passes out into the cytoplasm, the cell divides somewhat quantitatively, and new nuclei are organized, or (2) the nucleus elongates and the chromatin divides. Later the spores abort. These phenomena are considered indications of hybridity, as are also the vegetative anomalies, luxuriance, polymorphism, absence of microspores, apogamy and adaptations for vegetative propagation observed by the writer and commonly reported for Selaginella species. The condition, rare in plants, of spindle formation in the cytoplasm during prophase occurs in both mega- and microspores.

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