Diversidad de helechos y licófitas de la Reserva Natural Punta Lara, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Diversity of ferns and lycophytes from Reserva Natural Punta Lara, Buenos Aires , Argentina. Punta Lara Natural Reserve shelters the relict of the Southernmost riparian forest in the world, where the flora is threatened by the anthropic expansion and by the introduction of exotic species. In this area the ferns and lycophytes grow in particular environments as marshland, grassland and marginal forest. The aim of this work was to evaluate the diversity of ferns and lycophytes that inhabit in Punta Lara Natural Reserve. Field trips were conducted from 2006 to 2009 and local herbaria and specific bibliography were also revised. As a result of our study twenty four taxa of ferns and lycophytes were recognized. Their habit was mainly terrestrial (70%), fewer aquatic (17%) and epiphytic (13%). Five native taxa were scarcely recorded whereas two native species previously documented were not found. We assume that the main threats on ferns and lycophytes populations in Punta Lara Reserve are: removal for comercialization, invasion by exotic species and climatic fluctuations (drought periods). Keys for taxa identification are given and strategies for the conservation of threatened taxa are proposed. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (3): 1037-1046. Epub 2011 September 01.

Hasta el año 1987 el número de helechos y licofitas citados para la Reserva Punta Lara era de 30, incluyendo taxa específicos e infraespecíficos. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la diversidad de los helechos y licofitas que crecen en esta reserva, donde se halla el relicto más austral de las selvas en galería. Para llevar a cabo este estudio se realizaron viajes de campo durante los años 2006-2009 y se consultaron herbarios locales así como bibliografía especializada. Como resultado del estudio se determinaron 24 taxa de helechos y licofitas, de hábito predominantemente terrestre (70%); pocas acuáticas (17%) y epífitas (13%); dos especies exóticas, mientras que otras dos especies nativas citadas previamente no fueron halladas. Cinco taxa fueron registrados con escasa frecuencia. Se infiere que las principales causas de amenaza para las poblaciones de licofitas y helechos en la Reserva Natural Punta Lara son la extracción para su comercialización, la introducción de plantas exóticas y las fluctuaciones climáticas (periodos de sequía). Se presenta una clave de identificación de los taxa registrados y se plantean futuras estrategias de conservación de las especies consideradas vulnerables.

Palynological analysis of Sphaeropteris gardneri (Cyatheaceae, Pteridophyta)

The spore morphology and wall ultrastructure of Sphaeropteris gardneri (Hook.) R.M. Tryon from Brazil were analyzed with LM, SEM and TEM. The spores are trilete with an ornamentation formed of short low ridges with spines in their margins. The exospore is 2.5μm thick, two- layered in section and single or branched channels are present. The perispore is 1.2μm thick and two-layered. The inner layer has three strata: the inner stratum is formed of a network of branched and fused threads, the middle stratum has threads with a radial orientation and in the outer stratum thin, dark fibres are immersed in a less dense contrasted matrix. The outer layer of the perispore is the one that forms the echinate-ridges and is constituted of threads arranged in a compact way. Globules of different sizes are observed on the surface. The differences found in the perispore ornamentation and ultrastructure in Alsophila, which was previously studied, and those of Sphaeropteris, show a tendency to wall complexity.

A morfologia dos esporos e a ultraestrutura da parede de Sphaeropteris gardneri (Hook.) R.M. Tryon, Brasil, foram analisadas com MO, MEV e MET. Os esporos são trilete com uma ornamentação formada por cristas curtas e baixas e com espinhos em suas margens. O exosporo possui 2,5μm de espessura, duas camadas em secção e estão presentes canais simples ou ramificados. A camada interna possui três estratos: o estrato interno é formado por uma rede de filamentos ramificados e fusionados, o estrato médio tem fios com uma orientação radial e no estrato externo fino, fibras escuras estão imersas em uma matrix menos densa. A outra camada do perisporo é a que forma as cristas equinatas e é constituída de filamentos dispostos em um arranjo compacto. Glóbulos de diferentes tamanhos são observados na superfície. As diferenças encontradas na ornamentação do perisporo e na ultraestrutura do Alsophila estudado previamente e aqueles de Sphaeropteris mostram uma tendência à complexidade da parede.