Studies of gametophytes of Matteuccia struthiopteris (ostrich fern) in nature and in culture

The sex expression of gametophytes of Matteuccia struthiopteris (L.) Todaro was compared in nature and in culture. Plants raised from multispore cultures (100 spores/cm2) exhibited the most variety in sexual–morphological types. Individually raised plants were slower to develop and showed less variety of sexual types than was found in the multispore cultures. There appeared to be a density effect on development. Field-collected gametophytes showed the least diversity, the populations being largely composed of poorly developed male and neuter plants. The experimental and field data are considered in relation to antheridiogen and population density studies.