The writer described here some points of the anatomical structure of
Acrostichum, speciosum, from the Palao Islands, Micronesia. This fern is very similar to
A. aureum and is considered in most cases as to be synonymous with the latter. The anatomy of
A. aureum was described by some authors, such as METTENIUS, THOMAS and SCHUMANN, but it is rather curious that the descriptions of these authors did not coincide with each other in some points, for example, in the origin or course of medullary bundles or in the mode of arrangement of vascular bundles in the petiolar base.
According to the present observations of
A. speciosum, whose structure is identical with
A. aureum, it is very conspicuous that the anatomical structure of this fern is pretty variable. For example, the lower end of the medullary bundle can either originate independently within the pith or from the inner side of the main stele, and its upper end can either fuse with each other or diminish blindly; the mode of arrangement of vascular bundles in the petiolar base is sometimes different not only in different petioles but also even in different levels in one and the same petiole. Therefore, we meet actually with the different cases described by the former authors.
Concerning the stelar system of the stem of
Acrostichum, the writer formerly considered it as one of the
Cyathea-type of acyclostelic forms, but according to the present observations, especially on the peculiar course of medullary bundles, it should be included in a different type, which may be named as “
Acrostichum-type”; concerning its stelar system of the petiole be formerly included it in
Saccoloma-type of polystelic forms, but it should be included, according to the present observations, in a different type, which may be named as “
Acrostichum-type”.
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