SPORE GERMINATION IN POPULATIONS OF SCHIZAEA-PUSILLA FROM NEW-JERSEY AND NOVA-SCOTIA

Schizaea pusilla is a leptosporangiate fern that occurs in bogs in two disparate geographic locations (i.e., New Jersey and Nova Scotia). In this study, we examined the effects of culture time, storage temperat ure, storage time, and light quality on germination of spores from pop ulations of this fern from New Jersey and Nova Scotia. For all populat ions, maximal germination was achieved 42-60 d in culture at 22 degree s C, and storage of spores at 4 degrees C increased the percentage of germination compared to storage at 22 degrees C. In terms of light qua lity, the relative effectiveness of germination promotion was red (max imal) > white > far-red > blue (minimal), which is a pattern similar t o that of spores from the majority of ferns studied to date. By most o f the parameters assayed, Schizaea spores from New Jersey had a greate r magnitude of germination compared with the spores from Nova Scotia. In contrast to an earlier report, our studies show that spores from bo th locations have a lipid storage product. This is the first study to directly compare germination of S. pusilla spores collected from New J ersey and from Nova Scotia.