-- BEGIN included message
- To: F*@webtv.net
- Subject: Fwd: fern spores
- From: A*@webtv.net (Frank Cooper)
- Date: Fri, 4 Apr 1997 14:37:03 -0600
-- BEGIN included message
- To: "'Frank Cooper'" <a*@webtv.net>
- Subject: fern spores
- From: S* C* <c*@ntx1.cso.uiuc.edu>
- Date: Fri, 4 Apr 1997 09:24:48 -0600
- Encoding: 62 TEXT
--655616-1416275522-859558640=:2398 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Content-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.91.970328061935.2420B@hub.fern.com> Liz asked about ferns from spores.... Got access to some basic inorganics and a bit of agar? If so, try the attached recipe. If you don't want to make up the micronutrients, sterile pond water used instead of distilled/deionized water in making up the Bold's medium seems to substitute ok for the Nitsch's in growing most things. Or try sprinkling the spores on a clay pot upended in a reservoir of water; cover with a plastic bag and keep in a bright, cool spot (african violet bright, not over 95oF or so) -- room temp under a fluorescent light seems to work well. Or you can sow directly on sterilized soil in a pot; cover with saran, and set the pot in a reservoir of water. Same lighting. Constant moisture in all cases. Don't sow spores too thickly... if they're too close together, they tend to all come up boys (antheridial prothalli). We tried for about 25 - 50 spores per 4" petri dish for lab experiments where we wanted both sexes. Lower densities = more girls (archegonial prothalli), which means more sporophytes, since you only get one "real fern" from each archegonial prothallus (and none from the boys). Takes a minimum of 3-4 months from sowing spores to baby ferns, in my experience. Quite a bit longer for some species. Easiest way to sow that we found was to put a piece of frond with ripe sporangia that hadn't yet opened, in a glassine envelope (like a negative envelope for film), seal the envelope with scotch tape and let it dry for a few days... when you see brown dust start to fall, those are the spores. Draw a small circle (1/4" or so) on the envelope, and take a fine sewing needle and poke about 5-6 tiny holes within that circle. Tap the envelope with a forefinger as you hold it over the pot or petri dish... the spores will sift out those tiny salt- shaker holes you made, keeping the broken bits of leaf and other crud inside. Put a piece of scotch tape over the holes when you're done, and store the envelopes dry in a jar in the refrigerator... most of them are good for 10+ years in storage. I'm taking the liberty of posting this back to GARDENS, since I've had several people want to know about ferns from spores over the years. A topnotch book on ferns is: David L Jones, 1987, Encyclopedia of Ferns. Lothian publishing, Melbourne. ISBN 0 85091 179 6. He's also done some great books on Australian palms, and on cycads. Kay Lancaster kay@fern.com-- END included message
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