Background:

The Pedregal of San Angel Ecological Reserve (REPSA) constitutes a xerophilous scrub. In the Reserve, both ferns and lycophytes (pteridophytes) grow in different microhabitats. Ecological and taxonomic studies of the vegetation where pteridophytes have been included have been carried out in this area. However, there are no palynological studies from this group of plants in the REPSA.

Question:

¿What is the spore micromorphology of the fern and lycophyte species from the REPSA?

Studied species:

Ferns and lycophytes

Study site:

West Core Zone (ZNP) in The Pedregal of San Ángel Ecological Reserve, Ciudad Universitaria, (South of Mexico City) Mexico City, Mexico. August 2013 to September 2016.

Methods:

Reference specimens from ferns and lycophytes were collected, identified, and deposited at the National Herbarium (MEXU). Spores were recovered from fertile pinnae and mounted for photonic microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Microscopy images were captured to carry out the palynological description.

Results:

The palynology of 23 species of ferns and two species of lycophytes, corresponding to 16 genera, is presented. The spore micromorphology of Gaga decomposita, G. membranacea, Myriopteris allosuroides, Pellaea cordifolia, Pellaea villosa, Pleopeltis thyssanolepis, Ophioglossum engelmannii and Selaginella sartorii, is described here for the first time. Micromorphology is supplemented and / or confirmed for the remaining species.

Conclusions:

Data provided in this work contribute to the palynological knowledge of the species of lycophytes and ferns present in the REPSA and are useful characters for the taxonomy of species.

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