1. Morphological and anatomical studies have been made on. twenty five species of the Hymenophyllaceae, which belong to nine genera of Copeland's new classication (1938), i. e., four species of
Vandenboschia, one
Pleuromanes, one
Gonocormus, two
Crepidomanes, one
Crepidopteris, one
Scledodesmium, and
Hymenophyllum, ten
Mecodium and four
Meringium (c. f. Table on Page 135).
2. In the species studied, the stele of root exhibits either monarch or diarch type. Each arch consists of one or two tracheids in
Hymenophyllum, Mecodium and
Meringlum, while several in other genera.
3. The stelar type in rhizome and petiole is apparently a special case of the protostele the “Protostelischer Hymenophyllaceen-Typus” (Ogura, 1933). Considering degree of reduction of the. xylem mass, however, the stelar type in both organs can be divided into three types, that is,
Trichomanes,
Hymenophyllum and
Gonocormus types, the second being further subdivided into
Mecodium and
Meringium subtypes.
4. In previous paper (1948) the writer observed thirteen species of the
Hymenophyllaceae and proved that manner of branching of axillary bud exhibits two types, that is,
Trichomanes and
Hymenophyllum types, the latter being also subdivided into
Mecodium and
Meringium subtypes.
5. The facts presented by the stelar type in root, rhizome and petiole, forms of hairs, branching of nerves, condition of wings, as well as the manner of branching of axillary bud suggests that classification of genera by Copeland seems too minute, and that Stokey's opinion (1948) based on the studies on the reproductive organs of gametophytes may be rather reasonable.
6. It. seems better to suggest that the more advanced members of the family are those exhibited by the
Trichomanes and
Hymenophyllum types.
View full abstract