Am J Bot. 1997 May;84(5):633.
Antheridiogen chemicals secreted by living fern gametophytes have been shown to influence production of male gametangia and thus mating systems in a large number of terrestrial fern species. Antheridiogens have not previously been thought to be prevalent in the Polypodiaceae, a large family composed mostly of tropical epiphytes. This study presents bioassay methods more sensitive than previously used to detect antheridiogen and demonstrates that antheridiogens are also operative in the Polypodiaceae and in epiphytic species. Seven species in six genera (Campyloneurum angustifolium, C. phyllitidis, Lepisorus thunbergianus, Microgramma heterophylla, Phlebodium aureum, Phymatosorus scolopendria, and Polypodium pellucidum) were tested for the presence of an antheridiogen system. All species tested except P. aureum were induced to produce antheridia precociously by their own antheridiogen and by that of Pteridium aquilinum (APt). Phlebodium aureum responded to APt and promoted antheridium formation in Onoclea sensibilis but did not respond to its own antheridiogen. Spores of all species except P. aureum were induced to germinate in darkness by antheridiogen of the same species and by APt and to form antheridia in the dark, further enhancing the possibility of intergametophytic mating.
活体蕨类配子体分泌的雄配子体生殖化学物质已被证明会影响大量陆生蕨类植物的雄配子囊的产生，从而影响交配系统。以前人们认为，在由大多数热带附生植物组成的大型水龙骨科中，并不普遍存在雄配子体生殖化学物质。本研究提出了比以前使用的更敏感的生物测定方法来检测雄配子体生殖化学物质，并证明了雄配子体生殖化学物质在水龙骨科和附生植物中也起作用。在六个属的七个种中（细叶短肠蕨、肾蕨、短叶蹄盖蕨、异叶瓦韦、金星蕨、蜈蚣草和密叶蜈蚣草）检测到了雄配子体生殖化学物质系统的存在。除了 Pteridium aquilinum (APt) 之外，所有测试的种都被自身的雄配子体生殖化学物质和 Pteridium aquilinum (APt) 提前诱导产生了雄原叶体。Phlebodium aureum 对 APt 有反应，并促进了 Onoclea sensibilis 的雄原叶体形成，但对自身的雄配子体生殖化学物质没有反应。除 Pteridium aquilinum 之外，所有种的孢子都被同种的雄配子体生殖化学物质和 APt 在黑暗中诱导萌发，并在黑暗中形成雄原叶体，进一步增强了配子间交配的可能性。
