Examining the Ability of Calyptrae to Produce Protonema inFunaria hygrometrica

Abstract

Our research assesses the ability of calyptrae to produce protonema in the moss species Funaria hygrometrica Hedw. Herein the following question is addressed: how long after detachment from the maternal plant are calyptrae able to produce new individuals by means of protonema? Plants from a local Connecticut population were grown in laboratory conditions until 2, 14, or 28 days post-detachment of the calyptra from the leafy gametophyte. Calyptrae were removed, placed onto sterile media, and observed for protonemal growth for 10 weeks. Calyptrae were found to be alive and produced protonema at all three developmental ages. The youngest calyptrae produced the highest percentage of protonemal growth, whereas the oldest calyptrae produced significantly fewer. Our data provide evidence that calyptrae in a laboratory setting remain alive after detachment from the maternal plant and may have the potential to act as a dispersal unit.