Spore morphology of pteridophytes from China II. Sinopteridaceae

Spores of 61 species and 6 varieties in 9 genera of the Sinopteridaceae were examined under scanning electron microscope (SEM). Based on surface ornamentation and other features, the spores of the Sinopteridaceae are divided into three types. In type Ⅰ, the exospore is smooth and the surface ornamentation, which is reticulate, cristate, echinate or rugate, is formed by the perispore. All the other genera of this family, except for Onychium and Cryptogramma, have this pattern of spores. In type Ⅱ, the surface ornamentation is formed by both perispore and exospore. This pattern is found only in Cryptogramma. In type Ⅲ, the perispore is thin and the surface ornamentation is formed by the exospore. Onychium is characterized by this type of spores. Those genera with spores of type Ⅰ of the Sinopteridaceae seem to be closely related to each other and should be natural members of this family. The systematic position of Cryptogramma and Onychium, with spores of type Ⅱ and type Ⅲ respectively, however, should be reconsidered. Aleuritopteris might be the most primitive member of the Sinopteridaceae from the evidence of spore morphology.