XVI International Botanical Congess

The small (about 6 ?m in length) coiled gametes of Huperzia are biflagellated and the flagella emerge from basal bodies that are positioned side by side. The spline microtubules(MT) overlie the lamellar strip and support the external curve of the nucleus. The cell coils for about one gyre when still contained in its vesicle. The coil unfolds when released from the vesicle. A single plastid is positioned at the rear of the cell, behind the nucleus and against a small number of MT that extend past the nucleus. The mature cell contains very little cytoplasm. Like other lycopod sperm it has a wide spline, an anterior/posterior bend in the multilayered structure causing a shift in the angle between the lamellar plates and the spline MT. It differs from other Lycopodiaceae sperm in that it is smaller, more coiled and the basal bodies are positioned closer together on the multilayed structure..Angel Maden