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Premise: Cytotaxonomy employs chromosome visualization to study organismal relationships and evolution. Despite the critical value of cytogenetic data, cytotypes are lacking for many plant groups. Here, we present an improved approach for visualizing mitotic chromosomes in ferns, a key lineage of land plants, using the dividing cells of unfurling croziers (fiddleheads). Methods and Results: Our modified mitotic chromosome preparation incorporates a brief pectinase–cellulase pretreatment, as well as colchicine fixation and the Feulgen reaction to improve the staining and separation of mitotic chromosomes. To demonstrate this easy and efficient assessment, we determined the sporophytic (2n) chromosome number for three fern species: Cheilanthes mollis (2n = 60), Cheilanthes hypoleuca (2n = 120), and Nephrolepis cordifolia (2n = 82). Conclusions: The new method presented here improves visualizations of mitotic chromosomes from the dividing nuclei of young fern croziers. Fiddleheads are widely accessible in nature and in living collections worldwide, and this modified approach increases their suitability for fern cytotaxonomic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Premise Cytotaxonomy employs chromosome visualization to study organismal relationships and evolution. Despite the critical value of cytogenetic data, cytotypes are lacking for many plant groups. Here, we present an improved approach for visualizing mitotic chromosomes in ferns, a key lineage of land plants, using the dividing cells of unfurling croziers (fiddleheads). Methods and Results Our modified mitotic chromosome preparation incorporates a brief pectinase–cellulase pretreatment, as well as colchicine fixation and the Feulgen reaction to improve the staining and separation of mitotic chromosomes. To demonstrate this easy and efficient assessment, we determined the sporophytic (2n) chromosome number for three fern species: Cheilanthes mollis (2n = 60), Cheilanthes hypoleuca (2n = 120), and Nephrolepis cordifolia (2n = 82). Conclusions The new method presented here improves visualizations of mitotic chromosomes from the dividing nuclei of young fern croziers. Fiddleheads are widely accessible in nature and in living collections worldwide, and this modified approach increases their suitability for fern cytotaxonomic studies.

The Atlântic Forest comprises native forest formations which make it one of the main biomes in Brazil while the Cerrado is a strategical biome due to its diversity and economic resource. Ferns play important roles in both ecosystems and in the social context. Even though there are few studies of Pteridophytes, they have become fundamental not only to phytoremediation, but also to chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Ferns have different forms of life since they may be terrestrial, epiphytic, rupicolous, aquatic, hemiepiphyte and climbing plants which range from tiny herbaceous plants to arborescent ones. Nephrolepis cordifolia (L.) C. Presl, which is mostly found in the world’s tropical and subtropical regions, is an ornamental fern that belongs to the Nephrolepidaceae family and whose young fronds and tubers are edible in some countries. Besides, it has medicinal properties against certain diseases, such as rheumatism and anorexia, and symptoms, such as nasal congestion. This brief report aims at compiling results of studies of chemical and biological applications of ferns, mainly the ones exhibited by the N. cordifolia species, such as the main secondary metabolites it biosynthesizes, its lab-proven biological activities and its uses in folk medicine.

A study on the diversity and distribution of terrestrial and epiphytic fern in Kuantan, Pahang was conducted from January to November 2017. Fourteen species of both terrestrial and epiphytic ferns, respectively have been collected and examined from five districts of Kuantan namely Kuala Kuantan, Ulu Kuantan, Penor, Ulu Lepar and Sungai Karang. This study was carried out to examine and evaluate the distribution and to assess the abudance of epiphytic fern in Kuantan, Pahang. The materials obtained for this study were collected from sampling sites and prepared as herbarium voucher. Morphological characteristics were studied, observed and annotated. Based on this study, the terrestrial and epiphytic fern families namely Nephrolepidaceae, Gleicheniaceae, Lygodiaceae, Lindsaeceae, Woodiaceae and Thelypteridaceae, Polypodiaceae, Pteridaceae, Davalliaceae, Aspleniaceae, Blechnaceae and Cyatheaceae were recorded. It mostly can be found in the rainforest area. An updated checklist of terrestrial and epiphytic ferns has been prepared for comparison and future reference.

The phylogenetic relationships and biogeographical history of the tropical genus Nephrolepis, a popular ornamental fern, are investigated using plastid DNA data from three regions: rbcL, rps4 plus the rps4-trnS intergenic spacer (IGS) and the trnG intron plus the trnG- trnR IGS. Our taxon sampling includes all but one of the 19 species of the genus. We confirm the monophyly of Nephrolepis, resolve infrageneric relationships and propose monophyly of the widespread species Nephrolepis biserrata and Nephrolepis abrupta, awaiting a denser sampling of Nephrolepis cordifolia and Nephrolepis undulata. The controversial inclusion of Nephrolepis in Lomariopsidaceae is not clearly supported. With a view to identifying synapomorphies for the clades retrieved, we reconstruct the evolution in Nephrolepis of sorus position and indusium shape. Finally, based on an estimation of divergence times and reconstruction of ancestral distributions for the genus, we propose an origin of the crown group in the Eocene in the forests of the Laurasian tropical belt, from where two main lineages would have dispersed and become isolated, one in the Neotropics and the other in Asia-Australasia. From this clear biogeographical pattern, some species, probably of Asian-Australasian origin, show recent range expansions, now spanning the Palaeotropics or the pantropical zone. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 164, 113-127. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]