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Airborne sperm of Conocephalum conicum (Conocephalaceae)

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Abstract

We have obtained the first momentary photographs of sperms just as they are discharged from the antheridium of a liverwort, Conocephalum conicum, and have succeeded in monitoring the airborne sperms of bryophytes under field conditions. Airborne sperm of liverworts seems to be an effective strategy for raising the efficiency of fertilization between male and female plants separated in a drought environment.

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Acknowledgments

We thank S. Takeshita and T. Maehara for technical advice on use of the digital video camera and also thank H. Fujita for helpful comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8526, Japan

    Masaki Shimamura, Tomio Yamaguchi & Hironori Deguchi

Authors
  1. Masaki Shimamura
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  2. Tomio Yamaguchi
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  3. Hironori Deguchi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Masaki Shimamura.

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Shimamura, M., Yamaguchi, T. & Deguchi, H. Airborne sperm of Conocephalum conicum (Conocephalaceae). J Plant Res 121, 69–71 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10265-007-0128-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10265-007-0128-6

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