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Morphology and ultrastructure of megaspores and microspores of Isoetes sehnemii Fuchs (Lycophyta)

Abstracts

The morphology and wall ultrastructure of megaspores and microspores of Isoetes sehnemii that grows in Brazil were analyzed as part of the study of the Isoetaceae present in Southern South America. The observations were performed with light, scanning and transmission electron microscopes. The megaspores are trilete, 350-450μm in equatorial diameter. The surface is reticulate. In section, the sporoderm is 100μm thick including the ornamentation. The wall is composed of a siliceous perispore, which consists of short fused flatten, elements forming a three-dimensional mesh. The exospore has two zones of different structure. The endospore is fibrillar. The microspores are monolete, 21-27μm in equatorial diameter. The sporoderm is composed of a sporopollinic rugulate perispore. A space between the paraexospore and the exospore is evident. The exospore is compact. The endospore is fibrillar. The ultrastructural analysis akes hoologies evident concerning structure and organization of the layers belo the perispore in both spore types. A possible similarity and stability in the ultrustructure of the present spores and fossils could be also inferred. In addition, there would be a correlation among the plant habitat, the spore ornamentation and the geographic distribution.

Lycophyta; Isoetes; Brazil; spores; ultrastructure; sculpture; Palynology


A morfologia e a ultraestrutura da parede de megasporos e microspores de Isoetes sehnemii que crescem no Brasil foram analisados como parte do estudo de Isoetaceae presente no sul da América do Sul. As observações foram realizadas com microscopias de luz e eletrônicas de transmissão e varredura. Os megasporos são triletes com 350-450μm de diâmetro equatorial. A superfície é reticulada. Em secção o esporoderma possui 100μm de espessura incluindo ornamentação. A parede é composta de um perisporo silicoso que consiste de elementos fusionados curtos e achatados formando uma rede tridimensional. O exosporo tem duas zonas com diferentes estruturas. O endosporo é fibrilar. Os microsporos são monoletes, 21-27μm de diâmetro equatorial. A esporoderme é composta por um perisporo esporopolínico rugulado. Um espaço entre o para-exosporo e o exosporo é evidente. O exosporo é compacto. O endosporo é fibrilar. A análise ultraestrutural torna evidente homologias relativas a estrutura e organização das camadas abaixo do perisporo em ambos os tipos de esporos. Uma possível similaridade e estabilidade na ultraestrutura do presente esporo e fósseis pode também ser inferida. Além disso, haveria uma correlação entre o habitat da planta, a ornamentação do esporo e a distribuição geográfica.

Lycophyta; Isoetes; Brasil; esporos; ultraestrutura; escultura; Palinologia


BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Morphology and ultrastructure of megaspores and microspores of Isoetes sehnemii Fuchs (Lycophyta)

Cecilia MaclufI, II; Marta MorbelliI; Gabriela GiudiceII

ICátedra de Palinología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, 1900 La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

IICátedra de Morfología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, 1900 La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Correspondence to Correspondence to:Cecilia Macluf E-mail: ccmacluf@hotmail.com

ABSTRACT

The morphology and wall ultrastructure of megaspores and microspores of Isoetes sehnemii that grows in Brazil were analyzed as part of the study of the Isoetaceae present in Southern South America. The observations were performed with light, scanning and transmission electron microscopes. The megaspores are trilete, 350-450μm in equatorial diameter. The surface is reticulate. In section, the sporoderm is 100μm thick including the ornamentation. The wall is composed of a siliceous perispore, which consists of short fused flatten, elements forming a three-dimensional mesh. The exospore has two zones of different structure. The endospore is fibrillar. The microspores are monolete, 21-27μm in equatorial diameter. The sporoderm is composed of a sporopollinic rugulate perispore. A space between the paraexospore and the exospore is evident. The exospore is compact. The endospore is fibrillar. The ultrastructural analysis akes hoologies evident concerning structure and organization of the layers belo the perispore in both spore types. A possible similarity and stability in the ultrustructure of the present spores and fossils could be also inferred. In addition, there would be a correlation among the plant habitat, the spore ornamentation and the geographic distribution.

Key words: Lycophyta, Isoetes, Brazil, spores, ultrastructure, sculpture, Palynology.

RESUMO

A morfologia e a ultraestrutura da parede de megasporos e microspores de Isoetes sehnemii que crescem no Brasil foram analisados como parte do estudo de Isoetaceae presente no sul da América do Sul. As observações foram realizadas com microscopias de luz e eletrônicas de transmissão e varredura. Os megasporos são triletes com 350-450μm de diâmetro equatorial. A superfície é reticulada. Em secção o esporoderma possui 100μm de espessura incluindo ornamentação. A parede é composta de um perisporo silicoso que consiste de elementos fusionados curtos e achatados formando uma rede tridimensional. O exosporo tem duas zonas com diferentes estruturas. O endosporo é fibrilar. Os microsporos são monoletes, 21-27μm de diâmetro equatorial. A esporoderme é composta por um perisporo esporopolínico rugulado. Um espaço entre o para-exosporo e o exosporo é evidente. O exosporo é compacto. O endosporo é fibrilar. A análise ultraestrutural torna evidente homologias relativas a estrutura e organização das camadas abaixo do perisporo em ambos os tipos de esporos. Uma possível similaridade e estabilidade na ultraestrutura do presente esporo e fósseis pode também ser inferida. Além disso, haveria uma correlação entre o habitat da planta, a ornamentação do esporo e a distribuição geográfica.

Palavras-chave: Lycophyta, Isoetes, Brasil, esporos, ultraestrutura, escultura, Palinologia.

INTRODUCTION

The Isoetaceae constitute a family with a wide distribution. They live from mild to warm regions of all the continents, from sea level to near 4200 m. In southern South America, they are present in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. As part of the palynological study of the Isoetes that grow in this region, the morphology and ultrastructure of the spores of Isoetes sehnemii that grows in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, are analyzed. Fuchs-Eckert (1982) carried out an updated study of the South American species of Isoetes and found a list of 64 taxa, among which the I. sehnemi (nomen nudum) is included. Then, Fuchs-Eckert described and typified the Isoetes sehnemii Fuchs in the Flora Ilustrada Catarinense (1986).

Systematic (Pastore 1936, Capurro 1968) and floristic (de la Sota et al. 1998) aspects of Isoetes in southern South America have received some attention, but little information can be found in those contributions regarding palynological characteristics. In 2003, Musselman mainly studied the microspores of North America species with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The microspores of some species of southern South America have been analyzed with SEM and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) by Macluf et al. (2004). In 2006a, b, Macluf et al. analyzed with SEM the microspores of all the species of Isoetes that grow in southern South America. In this analysis, a description of the adapted Isoetes sehnemii spores of Fuchs-Eckert (1986) is included. The joint study of icrospores and megaspores in taxa of Isoetes with electronic microscopy has only been carried out for Isoetes savatieri Franchet by Morbelli (1980), Hickey (1985, 1986), Hickey et al. (2003) and Macluf et al. (2003b). The spores of other species of Isoetes were examined with TEM by Lugardon (1973, 1986), Robert et al. (1973), Prada Moral and Saenz de Rivas (1978), Tryon and Lugardon (1991), Taylor (1992, 1993) and Uehara et al. (1991).

In megaspores, a siliceous cover, a sporopolleninous exospore and a well-developed endospore can be distinguished in the sections ofmature megaspores, from the outside to the inside, respectively. In microspores, the sporoderm comprises the perispore forming the ornamentation, the para-exospore, a compact exospore and a fibrillar endospore. The term para-exospore (Lugardon 1972) is used to refer to the group ofseveral large superimposed elements located between the exospore and the perispore (Macluf et al. 2006b).

The aim of this work was to study the morphological characteristics of megaspores and microspores of Isoetes sehnemii using light (LM), scanning electron (SEM) and transmission electron (TEM) microscopy, in order to determine whether those sculptural and structural characteristics are reliable enough to be used for systematic purposes, for being regarded as microspore and megaspore characters, whether they are coherent or not, and also to determine if the organization of the sporoderm, the structure and the surface of both types of spores respond to the general characteristics of Isoetes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Spores were obtained from herbaria specimens housed at the Herbario Anchieta, Instituto Anchietano de Pesquisas, São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (PACA).

For LM, the material was mounted in glycerine-jelly without any chemical treatment. Dimensions were estimated for 25 spores per specimen. The minimum and maximum values in micrometers are given in the text.

For studies with SEM, the spores were handled with moist brushes without any chemical treatment and placed on double-stick tape on bronze stubs. The samples were coated with gold and examined under a Jeol JSM-35 CF microscope.

For studies with TEM, the dry material was hydrated by following the technique of Rowley and Nilsson (1972) using phosphate buffer and alcian blue (AB), and then the material was fixed with glutaraldehyde + 1% AB in phosphate buffer and postfixed with 1% osmium tetroxide (Os O4) in water plus 1% AB. The material was washed with phosphate buffer with AB, and then the spores were dehydrated an increasing concentration of acetone and embedded in Spurr soft mixture. Semithin sections were stained with toluidine blue and observed with LM. Ultrathin sections were stained with 1% uranyl acetate for 15 min, followed by lead citrate for 3 min. The samples were examined under a Zeiss T-109 microscope.

MATERIAL STUDIED

Isoetes sehnemii. Brazil. Rio Grande do Sul, Faz do Cerro, Vacaria, Río dos Refugiados. Sehnem 14629 (PACA); Río dos Refugiados, Fazenda Cedro, Vacaria. Sehnem 17094 (PACA); Río dos Refugiados, afl. Antas, Vacaria. Sehnem 14987 (PACA).

RESULTS

MEGASPORES

The megaspores are triletes (Plate I, 1-8), 350-450μm in equatorial diameter and subtriangular in polar view. The proximal face is convex and the distal one is hemispheric in equatorial view (Plate I, 2). Each laesure is fused to the equatorial zone, which is low, slightly differentiated from the ornamentation. Adjacent to the area, in the distal face, the girdle (cf. Tryon and Lugardon 1991, Taylor et al. 1993) shows the same ornamentation as the rest of the spore (Plate I, 2). The surface is reticulate heterobrochate in both polar faces. The proximal muri are lower compared to those of the distal face (Plate I, 5). In the lumens, the background consists of anastomosed bars that form a three-dimensional mesh with irregular spaces (Plate I, 7). The terminal ends of some elements are joined and form echinulae. In the muri, these echinulae are arranged on both sides of the major axis of each wall, with its ends oriented towards the lumens (Plate I, 8).

Megaspore wall structure and ultrastructure

The megaspore wall in section (Plate II, Plate III, Plate IV) from the outside to the inside is composed of a siliceous cover (Si), a sporopolleninous exospore and an endospore; (Plate III, 12).

The sporoderm is 100/xm thick, including the muri and 40μm among muri (Plate II, 9, 10, 11). The perispore and the outer part of the exospore are involved in the apertural differentiation. A siliceous cover is 16 to 40μm thick, formed by short fused flattened elements forming a three-dimensional mesh and leaving their free ends at the surface. This layer is thicker in the equator and distally, and most of its thickness forms the ornamentation (Plate II, 11). The distal ornamentation is formed by higher structural elements. The silica cover (Si) is strongly contrasted when fixed and stained for TEM. It is formed by structural elements that are rectangular to lenticulate, flattened and fused by their ends. (Plate III, 12, 13, 14). The chains formed by the link of these elements take articulated forms (Plate III, 13) and also form an open network that communicates with the outside. A connection with the exospore is also observed in some points (Plate III, 14). The exospore is 6 to 10μm thick, and less contrasted than the siliceous cover. The structural elements show a more contrasted margin. They are tangentially elongated, arranged in several levels and fused with others of different levels, forming elongated spaces and lacunae. Due to the presence of a great amount of spaces, the thickness is variable. Silica is present in a variable amount in the outermost exospore spaces. The presence of silica decreases towards the inside and is absent in the internal area near the endospore (Plate IV, 15, 16). The nature and contrast to TEM of silica in the exospore spaces is seen identical to that of the perispore. The exospore area with silica impregnation is 1.5 to 4μm thick (Plate IV, 16). Among the exospore elements, a space or "gap" is observed, which varies in amplitude distally and equatori-ally in different spores (Plate IV, 15). The endospore is 1 to 2μm thick, has a fibrillar type structure (Plate IV, 15) and can be deposited in two stages probably marked by a discontinuity.

MICROSPORES

The microspores are monolete (Plate V, 17-22), 21-27μm long and 18-20μm wide, elliptic in polar view, and biconvex in equatorial view. A swelling (cf. Mus-selman 2003) perpendicular to the laesura was observed (Plate V, 17). A supra-laesural expansion is present. An equatorial 4.5/ m high projection is evident (Plate V, 20). The perispore is rugulate on the whole surface. The background is composed of perforations and granules.

Microspore wall structure and ultrastructure

The microspore wall in section from the outside to the inside is composed of perispore, para-exospore, exospore and endospore (Plate V, 23); (Plate VII, 28). The sporopollinic perispore, 0.4 to 3.5μm thick, shows an uniform thickness in all the contour of the spore. Two layers can be seen in the cross sections, both with lacunar structure but with different characteristics of their elements (Plate VII, 26). The outer stratum (Po) has thin, fused, laxly distributed bars (Plate VII, 26). The outside of this stratum forms the ornamentation. The inner perispore stratum (Pi) consists of thicker bars, circular in section, fused in different directions. This stratum is in contact with the elements of the para-exospore (Plate VII, 26, 27).

The para-exospore is 0.3 to 0.6μm thick and formed by large structural elements tangentially arranged, which are fused to others at different levels (Plate VI, 23); (Plate VII, 26, 27). The center of each element is seen with less contrast than the margins (Plate VII, 26, 27). The elements of the internal para-exospore are generally thinner. An equatorial-distal separation or gap between the para-exospore and the exospore is present (Plate VI, 23, 24).

The exospore is 0.25μm thick and compact, with an irregular margin. The endospore is 0.2μm thick, with a fibrillar structure (Plate VII, 26, 27, 28).

In a transverse section of a microspore along its major polar axis, a supra-laesural expansion is observed, which forms a kind of vestibule of variable height that is higher at the central part and diminishes towards both ends of the laesurae (Plate V, 23, 24). All the thickness of the perispore and the more external structural elements of the para-exospore participate in the expansion (Plate VI, 25). The structure and arrangement of the external para-exospore in the supra-laesural expansion takes the form of a zip (Plate VI, 25).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The organization of the sporoderm, the number and ultrustructure of the layers respond to the general characteristics of both types of Isoetes spores. Homologies have been found as regards the organization and structure of the internal layer to the perispore, i.e. exospore of megaspores and para-exospore of microspores. In both, the structural elements are long, tangentially arranged and fused in different levels. They also determine spaces that may or may not be filled with silica.

Macluf et al. (2003b, 2006a) have found in different studies characters such as: type of ornamentation, morphology and distribution of the structural elements, and the characteristics of the equatorial area of the microspores, which may be used with systematic purposes. Likewise, the ornamentation of megaspores is a very useful diagnostic for the infrageneric classification. In virtue of this, megaspores and microspores of Isoetes sehnemii show superficial characters that, in an isolated or combined ways could be applied to the systematics.

Even if ornamentation is determined by the perispore in both types of spores, in megaspores almost all the thickness forms the structural elements, whereas in the microspores only the outside stratum participates.

In megaspores, the sporoderm shows spaces in all of its thickness. From the exospore towards the surface of the perispore, a system of interconnected spaces is observed. This is a characteristic that is repeated in the microspores from the para-exospore towards the peri-spore surface. Due to the way in which the structural elements of the siliceous layer of the megaspores fuse forming chains, they are likely to show a certain mobility or flexibility when living. The siliceous wall of the megaspores of I. pedersenii (Macluf et al. 2003a) shows a similar structure.

Based on the dominant sculptural element on the microspore surface, the microspores would be located within the rugulate pattern, among the scultural patterns of microspores proposed by Macluf et al. (2006a) for the icrospores of the genus of the species of the area. A swelling associated with the laesure described by Musselman (2003) and later by Macluf et al. (2006a) is also found in the microspores of the studied species. It has been observed that the perispore, which has a lacunar structure, is similar to that one observed in the microspores of I. pedersenii (Macluf et al. 2006b), where it is seen as camerate. In I. sehnemii it consists of bars, whereas in I. pedersenii it is formed by short rodlets, but of the same structural type. The perispore thickness increases towards the equatorial-distal area in both species. Personal observations carried out in microsporangium sections with different degree of development in other species of the area, such as I. ekmanii and I. savatieri (C. Macluf, unpublished data), would indicate that the amplitude of the "gap" or space between the para-exospore and the exospore in the microspores ranges depending on the stage of development of the spore, and it is observed that it decreases in mature spores. These characteristics were described by Uehara (1991) in his study about the development of the wall in microspores of I. japonica.

The "pluristrata areas" of the apertural area in microspores, described by Lugardon (1972, 1973) and Tryon and Lugardon (1991) for Isoetes brochoni, Isoetes echinospora, I. setaceum, I.durieui and for Selaginella selaginoides, were not observed in the studied material. This could be attributed to the place where the transverse section has been made.

Isoetes sehnemii grows in the south of Brazil, in low and floodable areas of subtropical climate. I. pedersenii, grows in the northeast of Argentina, in similar habitat and climate. The coincidence in the ecological preferences could be linked to the similarities found at the ultrastructural level of microspores. Both species produce microspores with open structure sporoderm with wide spaces. On the other hand, it was compared to I. escondidensis, which grows in the NW of Argentina, in a mild climate, and is submerged aquatic, with differences in the wall ultrastructure being observed since it shows a closed structure without the spaces among the elements. Based on these data, a probable correlation between the sporal ultrastructure and the plant habitat could be inferred. Likewise, Macluf et al. (2006a, b) related the increase of the ploidy level with the increase in the size of the microspores and with the habitat in microspores of Isoetes of the South, and no particular reference was made to I. sehnemii.

If organization, ornamentation and structure of the sporoderm of the studied spores were compared with those of other studies, particularly of fossil material of the Cretaceous (Gamerro 1977, Archangelsky 1965), a general stability or similarity could be inferred in the morphology and surface of spores. This would show a non-change or "stasis" condition according to Tryon's concept (1986) when he refers to the conservation of structures in the sporoderm of Pteridophyta. Likewise, Kovach (1994) suggests that there is an ultrastructural affinity between mesozoic megaspores and present Lycophyta megaspores, which would also indicate a probable conservation of the sporoderm structure. Lugardon et al. (1999, 2000) and Grauvogel-stamm and Lugardon (2004) compared megaspores and microspores of living species of Isoetes with spores of the Triassic period, assigned to Isoetes, and came to similar conclusions in the sense that there is a similarity in the ultrastructure and organization of the fossil and living spores.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank Ing. Luis Zimmermann of the Servicio de Microscopía Electrónica de Transmisión del Instituto de Biologia Celular, Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Buenos Aires; to Rafael Urrejola of the Servicio de Microscopía Electrónica de Barrido del Museo de Ciencias Naturales de La Plata and the Institution that sent the herbarium material. This work was supported by grants from the National Council of Scientific and Technological Research (CONICET), (PIP 5044), the National Agency of Scientific and Technological Promotion (ANPC y T) (PICT 12.758).

Manuscript received on July 22, 2008; accepted for publication on August 31, 2009

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  • Correspondence to:

    Cecilia Macluf
    E-mail:
  • Publication Dates

    • Publication in this collection
      11 June 2010
    • Date of issue
      June 2010

    History

    • Received
      22 July 2008
    • Accepted
      31 Aug 2009
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