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Sexuality and apogamy in the Cuban Asplenium auritum–monodon complex (Aspleniaceae)

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Abstract

Asplenium auritum Sw. is a sexual fern that produces 64 spores per sporangium, while A. monodon Liebm. is an apogamous species that produces 32 spores. The hybrid between them, A. × lellingerianum Sánchez & Regalado, also shows an apogamous life cycle, with mainly abortive spores. The scope of this work was to study the sexual and apogamous behavior in these taxa. We studied spore germination and gametophyte development of the three species, a process that followed the Adiantum type. Afterward, we observed morphological apogamous characters in A. monodon and A. × lellingerianum. Apogamous sporophytes arose from apical and basal regions of gametophytes, lacking feet and roots in the first instance, but developing other normal sporophytic structures, such as tracheids, stomata, glandular hairs, and scales. Finally, we studied the gametangia production in all three taxa, finding that the scarce production of antheridia in A. monodon is indicative of the Braithwaite apogamous life cycle scheme, and this scheme has probably been inherited by A. × lellingerianum.

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Acknowledgments

Authors are grateful to an anonymous reviewer for the valuable comments and suggestions, which greatly improved the manuscript, and also to William Clarke for the English review. This research was supported by the Agreement of Cooperation between Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain, and Agencia de Medio Ambiente, Cuba, which funded two stays for the first author at the Departamento de Biología Vegetal I, Universidad Complutense de Madrid.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Ecología y Sistemática, Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Medio Ambiente, Carretera de Varona km 3 ½, Capdevila, Boyeros, Apdo. Postal 8010, 10800, La Habana, Cuba

    L. Regalado Gabancho

  2. Departamento de Biología Vegetal I, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    C. Prada & J. M. Gabriel y Galán

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  1. L. Regalado Gabancho
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  2. C. Prada
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  3. J. M. Gabriel y Galán
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Correspondence to J. M. Gabriel y Galán.

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Regalado Gabancho, L., Prada, C. & Gabriel y Galán, J.M. Sexuality and apogamy in the Cuban Asplenium auritum–monodon complex (Aspleniaceae). Plant Syst Evol 289, 137–146 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-010-0339-5

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