ORGANIZATION IN A GAMETOPHYTE CALLUS OF LYCOPODIUM AND ITS MORPHOGENETIC IMPLICATIONS

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Abstract
Callus cultures derived from gametophytes of Lycopodium obscurum can be maintained in an undifferentiated state for years, even with frequent subculturing. By supplying coconut milk and/or sucrose in appropriate concentrations to the nutrient medium, roots or buds can be induced to organize in the callus. The organization of sporophyte structures from a gametophyte callus provides evidence of the totipotency of cells in both generations and supports the interpretation that the genetic complement imposes no rigid restriction for growth and organization. Callus cultures of vascular cryptogams derived from gametophyte or sporophyte plants provide a valuable tool for studying factors controlling morphogenesis and the life cycle in these lower vascular plants.