XVI International Botanical Congess

On 21 September 1998, Hurricane Georges passed over the Jobos Bay Reserve in southeastern Puerto Rico. A long-term study of the mangrove fern, Acrostichum danaeifolium, had begun in January 1998 and hurricane impact was assessed a year later. High levels of plant mortality occurred at sites with a history of hydrologic stress. Sterile leaf length decreased significantly with leaves in January 1999 only 57% as long as those present on the same plants in January 1998. The mean pair count in January 1999 only 75% that of January 1998. There was also a significant reduction in the number of leaves per plant to 77% of pre-hurricane levels. The leaf production rate for the period from May 1998 through January 1999 (9.3 per plant) was not significantly lower than pre-hurricane levels (10.3 per plant).