THE SPORELING DEVELOPMENT OF BLASIA PUSILLA L.

Abstract

  The sporeling pattern of Blasia pusilla L. is typified by endosporic development, from globose protonemata through segmentation of cuneate apical cells. The exospore is not ruptured until apical derivatives which exhibit the typical merophyte divisions of the adult plant give rise to young lateral lobes and Nostoc auricles. When grown under three different light and temperature regimes, only rates of germination and development are altered. No germ tubes were formed under any of these environmental conditions, even though germ tube production has previously been reported for this taxon.