Spore morphology of some Turkish moss species

Abstract

In this study, spore morphology of Hedwigia ciliata (Hedw.) P.Beauv., H. stellata Hedenäs, Leucodon immersus Lindb. and Funaria hygrometrica Hedw. were examined by light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All species except L. immersus have small spores, the length of the polar axis (P) is between 8.43 µm and 31.75 µm, equatorial diameter (E) is between 13.09 µm and 38.21 µm. The smallest spores are seen in F. hygrometrica, while the largest spores are seen in L. immersus. The shapes of the spores are determined as oblate for H. ciliata, H. stellata, F. hygrometrica, and suboblate for L. immersus. Ornamentations are differing near leptoma and on distal ornamentation types were observed on the distal pole. Granulate-psilate, psilate, loose baculate-clavate ornamentation types were observed near leptoma. In addition to spore morphology, capsule structures were also examined and were photographed with LM and SEM. As a result, the spore size, shapes and ornamentation types and the capsule structures show differences among these species and these differences can be used as a distinctive characters in the identifications of them