Monolete spores
Many genera of spores from ferns are characterized by kidney-shaped grains with a single elongate scar, called a monolete scar. This scar results from the splitting of the spore mother cell into four equivalent reproductive cells along a vertical axis. When these cells separate, they carry a remnant of the line of commonality in this scar.
This particular spore is from a fern of the large family Polypodiaceae, which includes many common ferns. Ferns range from Devonian to Recent in the fossil record.
Many genera of spores from ferns are characterized by kidney-shaped grains with a single elongate scar, called a monolete scar. This scar results from the splitting of the spore mother cell into four equivalent reproductive cells along a vertical axis. When these cells separate, they carry a remnant of the line of commonality in this scar.
This particular spore is from a fern of the large family Polypodiaceae, which includes many common ferns. Ferns range from Devonian to Recent in the fossil record.