Stipule propagation in five marattioid species native to Taiwan (marattiaceae; Pteridophyte)

Abstract

Stipules of marattioid species were used for propagation. To thoroughly understand the effect of this method, five marattioid ferns of three genera native to Taiwan were studied. When stipules of the five species were cultured in the laboratory for 1 year, the sprouting numbers and positions and sizes of the stipules and first fronds of plantlets were determined. Results showed that each stipule sprouted plantlets only at the proximal stipule margin in Archangiopteris somai. However, Angiopteris lygodiifolia, Angiopteris palmiformis, Archangiopteris itoi, and Marattia pellucida sprouted plantlets from four specific positions: two on the proximal stipule margin and two on the distal margin. Sprouting rates of stipules were 85-100% in these five species. The correlations of plantlet numbers and stipule sizes were positive, but they were not significant for Angiopteris palmiformis or M. pellucida, probably due to the small sample sizes. Similarly, except for those two species, larger stipules had a tendency to produce larger fronds with a more-complicated structure (pinnate to bipinnate).