Wall analyses of lophocolea seta cells (bryophyta) before and after elongation.

Lophocolea heterophylla (Schrad.) Dum. (a leafy liverwort) produces sporophytes with seta cells that elongate 50-fold in 3 to 4 days. Wall components of these cells have been characterized by microscopic histochemistry, colorimetry, and gas chromatography of neutral sugars. Seta cell walls are qualitatively similar to primary cell walls of higher plants. The pectic fraction, however, responds differently to standard histochemical staining and extraction. Quantitatively, mannose, fucose, and rhamnose are in higher percentage, and arabinose and xylose are lower than typically found in vascular plants. Hexuronic acids increase on a percentage basis during elongation; pentoses decrease slightly, while hexose levels remain about the same. Increase in total wall carbohydrate after 2,400% elongation of setae was 1.8-fold.