The Longevity of Myxomycete Spores
1929; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 21; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1080/00275514.1929.12016968
ISSN1557-2536
Autores Tópico(s)Slime Mold and Myxomycetes Research
Resumodefinite and specific information as to the length of time such spores retain the power of germination. Lister simply states that, if kept dry, the spores retain their vitality for several years. While there is difficulty in securing germination of the spores of some species, whatever the age, workers find the mature spores of many species quite viable at the end of two or even three years. Data for the viability of spores of greater age are conspicuously lacking. The writer of this article, in connection with other investiga? tions, left some ten-year-old spores in a hanging drop culture and after five days noted with surprise that germination had taken place. This led to further investigation of the viability of spores of known ages from four to nearly thirty-two years. In every case germination was secured and in some cultures the percentage of viable spores was quite as great as in cultures where the spores were less than a year old. The elapsed time between wetting of the spores and the observed emergence of the swarm-cells was somewhat greater than with younger spores, but the following development was regular in all the species tested?loss of flagel? lum, cell division, sometimes repeated several times, fusion of myxamoebae and formation of small plasmodia. The definite data on the germination of these aged spores are contained in the following table. The elapsed time between the wetting of the spores and the observation of germination is not significant, as observations were sometimes twenty-four hours apart and in a few cases ger? mination was well advanced when first observed. Some of these aged spores were received from Dr. Jahn in Germany; the oldest were collected in Michigan by Prof. B. O. Longyear of our Forestry department. 321
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