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Annals of Botany 75: 105-117, 1995
© 1995 Annals of Botany Company

Characterization of Stelar Initiation in Shoot Apices of Ferns

Yilun Ma and Taylor A. Steeves

Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7H 0W0

Procambium is commonly recognized as a vascular meristem in shoot apices of vascular plants. Prestelar tissue comprising provascular tissue (PVT) and pith mother cells (PMCs) immediately subjacent to the single cell layer of promeristem has been considered to represent the initial stage of stelar differentiation preceding procambium and rib meristem in ferns. In addition to characterization of PVT and PMCs on the basis of cell morphology, cytological features and developmental continuity with procambium and rib meristem, four lines of evidence from studies of shoot apices of Matteuccia struthiopteris and Osmunda cinnamomea support this interpretation of initial differentiation. (1) Differential staining by safranin-fast green and crystal violet-erythrosin shows that PVT and PMCs differ in colour reactions from promeristem and resemble procambium and pith meristem, respectively. (2) Comparative ultrastructural study reveals qualitative differences in the cell membrane system, nuclei, cytoplasm, vacuoles and plastids between promeristem and PVT but similarity of PVT to procambium. (3) Large droplets of tannins occur in promeristem but not in PVT, PMCs and procambium. (4) Cytochemical study of the shoot apex of Osmunda shows that carboxylesterase activity is strongly demonstrated in PVT and procambial cells but not in promeristem cells and PMCs. These observations further substantiate the interpretation that PVT represents initial vascular differentiation and PMCs reflect a commitment to pith development.Copyright 1995, 1999 Academic Press

Initial vascular differentiation, provascular tissue, differential staining, ultrastructure, tannins, carboxylesterase, shoot apex, Matteuccia struthiopteris, Osmunda cinnamomea


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