Approximately 40 species of Adiantum are represented in Ecuador. A new species is described here from Pastaza province, Ecuador. It has been confused with A. anceps, but differs in having only once-pinnate blades and pubescent rachises, segment stalks, and indusia.

The spores of Ophioglossum pendulum ssp. falcatum germinated after six weeks in the dark on a nutrient medium containing inorganic nutrients and glucose. The gametophytes grew on the same nutrient medium to give globular, teardrop-shaped, and finally cylindrical gametophytes. The mature gametophytes were cylindrical and highly branched. Other aspects of these gametophytes were normal for Ophioglossum gametophytes with sunken antheridia and short-necked archegonia. The gametangia were functional because fertilization took place in older cultures. Mature gametophytes of O. pendulum ssp. falcatum from culture had the same structure as those of O. pendulum ssp. pendulum from nature. The differing conditions under which the gametophytes of both subspecies grew did not alter their stellate form.

The gametophyte morphology and development of eight Chinese species of Dryopteris (Dryopteridaceae) were studied and described. Spores of all species were monolete and reniform. The germination pattern was the Vittaria-type. Germinal filaments were uniseriate, sometimes biseriate and the prothallial development was the Aspidium-type. Adult gametophytes in culture were cordiform, elongate-cordiform to cordiform-reniform, having wings with marginal and superficial trichomes. Gametangia belong to leptosporangiate fern type. Spore size, germination time, numbers of trichomes, morphology of rhizoids, formation time of the gametangia and gametophyte margin shape were different among the studied species.

Rumohra adiantiformis, also known as “leatherleaf fern”, is an ornamental species that, because of its long display life, is widely used in floral arrangements. In this study, a new protocol for in vitro regeneration of the leatherleaf fern was established. For spore germination, two culture media (MS and Knop) were assessed with presence or absence of 1g L⁻¹ activated charcoal (AC) under different light and dark conditions. Frond, frond microcuttings, and prothallus explants were evaluated on Knop regeneration medium supplemented with 1g L⁻¹ AC, 0.5% agar, pH 5.0 in combination with 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D: 0.0, 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mg L⁻¹) and 6-benzylamino purine (BA: 0.0, 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mg L⁻¹). For rooting, four levels of α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA: 0.0, 0.01, 0.1 and 0.2 mg L⁻¹) were tested. After 18 days of culture, spore germination rate was 100% on Knop medium with AC and 8 h light/16 h dark. After 120 days of culture, sporophytes 1.7 ± 0.4 cm in length developed on Knop medium, while those spore-cultured on MS medium never produced sporophytes. From those germinated sporophytes, prothallus explants cultivated on Knop medium with AC and 0.5 mg L⁻¹ BA showed the highest regeneration rate with 235.7 gametophytes. The best sporophyte rooting response was obtained with 0.01 mg L⁻¹ NAA. Complete, regenerated sporophytes were obtained 183 days after culture initiation. By this procedure it would be possible to obtain up to 2 million sporophytes from one fertile frond. To determine the origin of the regenerated gametophytes, a histological analysis was performed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The analysis revealed that the gametophytes were regenerated from explant epidermal tissues on either the adaxial or abaxial surface.

The ferns and lycophytes of Mo'orea, French Polynesia were surveyed as part of the Mo'orea Biocode Project during September 12–13, 2006, September 6–27, 2008, and August 11–28, 2010, resulting in collection of 42 species that had not been previously reported to occur on Mo'orea. Specimen citations, previously known distributions, and taxonomic notes (when appropriate) are given for each new record. New records include 16 species collected for the first time during the Mo'orea Biocode Project, and 26 species collected prior to the project but not included in published species lists. This brings the total number of known Mo'orean pteridophytes to 132 species.