CONSERVATION OF ENDANGERED FERNS, ARCHANGIOPTERIS SOMAI AND A. ITOI (MARATTIACEAE: PTERIDOPHYTA), BY PROPAGATION FROM THEIR STIPULES

Archangiopteris somai Hayata and A. itoi Shieh are two endemic ferns of Taiwan and are categorized into endangered and critically endangered species, respectively. Five fresh stipules were stripped from each of 10 sporophytes of A. somai and A. itoi, growing in Wu-Llai, northern Taiwan, and totally 50 stipules were used in each species. These stipules were rinsed 3 minutes with clean water and put on the medium (4:1, soil: peat moss) under room temperature and fluorescent light (12 hours/day). After one-year culture, plantlets were produced from 40% and 90 % of stipules of A. somai and A. itoi, respectively. Plantlets production of the later is significantly higher than that of the former. The average sprouting rate and time needed to sprout of these two species are not significant differences among stipules of various sizes of stem. Those average sprouting rates and time are very low (A. somai) or not (A. itoi) related to their stipule sizes. The growth of the stripped mother plants is not affected by removing those stipules comparing to the last year and to the control plants. The simple practical way of stipule propagation cultures of these two species efficiently provides a selection sufficient materials for horticulture, ex situ conservation, and in situ restoration.