Scanning electron microscopic studies on the spores of athyrioid ferns from the western ghats, South India

As part of the biosystematic studies on south Indian Ferns, Scanning Electron Microscopic study was undertaken on twelve species of Athyrioid ferns from the Western Ghats, south India. Spores of all the twelve species are monolete, planoconvex with perispore except Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) Sw., which is devoid of perispore. Generally the spores are light brown to dark in colour. The perispore pattern varies from simple granular to prominently winged surface in Diplazium. The low and coarse rugose surface is the characteristic of the genus Athyrium. The evolution of leaf form coincides with the evolution of spore characters.