MORPHOLOGY OF TRACHEARY ELEMENTS OF SOME INDIAN FERNS

Length and breadth of tracheids, lateral wall pitting and length of oblique overlap area of five ferns of Rajasthan,India have been described. Rectangular reticulate tracheids were found in only Nephrolepis cordifolia and Tectaria macrodonta but branched tracheids with a variable organwise frequency were found in these and in Pteris vittata, Ampelopteris prolifera and Cyclosorus dentatus. Shorter tracheids with transverse overlap area were also found in root and rhizome of P. vittata and A. prolifera and root of N. cordifolia. Suspected vessel members in root and rhizome of P. vittata and root of N. cordifolia are also reported.