Abstract:To understand the endangered reasons of Dipteris chinensis, a rare and endangered plant, the effects of temperature and humidity on spore germination was studied. The results showed that the spore germination ability was strong, with Vittaria-type germination mode and Marattia-type gametophyte germination. The spore propagation of D. chinensis was not affected by temperature, while significantly influenced by humidity. The spores germinated normally in humid condition, forming heart-type gametophytes, and producing young sporophytes successfully. However, spores could not germinate under drought condition, gametophytes were inclined to irregularly development and folds increased. Therefore, the obstacles in spore reproduction of D. chinensis under unsuitable environment might be one of the reasons leading to the decline of wild population, so that in situ and ex situ conservation of these rare and endangered plants should pay attention to creating moist habitats.
