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ASSOCIATION OF MUCILAGE WITH THE LIGULE OF SEVERAL SPECIES OF SELAGINELLA
Author(s) -
Bilderback D. E.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1987.tb08723.x
Subject(s) - mucilage , selaginella , biology , botany
Mucilage bodies of protein and some polysaccharide were closely associated with ligules of Selaginella kraussiana (Kunze) A. Braun grown in the greenhouse, and Selaginella wallacei Hieron. and Selaginella oregana D.C. Eat. from natural habitats. With S. wallacei and S. oregana , several mucilage bodies were associated with some ligules. No mucilaginous material was associated with the ligules of Selaginella douglasii Hook, et Grev., Selaginella densa Rydb. or Selaginella apoda (L.) Fernald from natural habitats. When stem tips of S. kraussiana and S. douglasii were placed in sterile culture on a medium with sucrose, massive amounts of mucilage appeared around the ligules in the tight interstices of the stem tip leaves and extended out on the surface of the leaves. The mucilage from a cultured stem tip of S. kraussiana contained 0.034 μgm of protein, 14.6 μgm of apparent glucose equivalents as polysaccharide and no significant amounts of phenolics. In stem tips with tightly appressed leaves, either ligules or young leaves could have produced the mucilage; however, in more mature regions of the stem where internodal elongation had separated the leaves, mucilage coated only the apical portions of the ligules and was not associated with leaves. No other possible source of mucilage (bacteria or fungi) was detected among the leaves. When stem tips of S. wallacei, S. densa and S. apoda were placed in culture, mucilage was not produced. Since mucilage is closely associated with the ligule of some species of Selaginella growing in nature, the greenhouse, or tissue culture, the ligule may be glandular.