Reproductive Biology of Selaginella: I. Determination of Megasporangia by 2-Chloroethylphosphonic Acid, an Ethylene-releasing Compound.

Control clumps of Selaginella wallacei Heiron., sprayed with distilled water with Tween 20, produced a high proportion of microsporangia. Similar clumps sprayed with 2-chlorethyl-phosphonic acid, and ethylene-releasing compound (Ethephon), at 7.65 and 76.5 mg/liter produced almost exclusively megasporangia. Treatment of Selaginella pallescens (Presl) Spring with Ethephon at 34 mg/liter caused the production of megasporangia in the microsporangiate files of the strobili. The possibility that ethylene may be involved in the regulation of heterospory in Selaginella is discussed.