Abstract
Extensive and exhaustive multidisciplinary studies for several decades covering many parts of India on population biology of the genus and various species of Ophioglossum L and related genera of the family ophioglossaceae (Goswamia Zhang & Zhang) have revealed that the genus Ophioglossum in particular has been exhibiting certain teratological traits of great evolutionary significance. Elsewhere, it has been opined that many new traits or teratologies might be expressed in some segregates of natural hybridizations but appearance of some totally unknown remarkable features observed in different populations of species inhabiting distant far remote areas must be an epigenetic expression within the genome. Leafy sporophores (fertile spikes), presence of many abnormal forked or twisted ones are common ones, known for several years but find of spore mass developing on the margins of tropohylls (leaves)without the development of sporangium in some plants of many species is a unique feature. Additionally, Goswamia costata Zhang & Zhang (=Ophioglossum costatum) shows large number of variables in shapes and full mid-vein variations of tropophores (leaves) resembling exactly like leaves of Glossopterisgenus Senotheca Banerjee never known or described for any genera of the group. Yet another new feature has been observed in some plants of Goswamia bispora Vadhiya et al., the rhizome possesses very fine unicellular and branched hairs. Since the stem cells are innately undifferentiated cells located in the meristems of plants and are also totipotent cells equipped with regenerative powers facilitating plant growth and production of new organs throughout lifetime, we hypothesize that repeated over expression of certain totally unknown traits will have to be considered as expressions of some epigenetic mechanisms triggered within the genomes of Ophioglossum and sister genus Goswamia. This triggered molecular mechanism might be imposing revitalized or mutated function of a few genes in stem cells in plants of a few selected species. Obviously, stem cells also serve as repositories of conserved DNA sequences related to ancestral lineages.
Published Version
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