Figure 1.

Germination time course of spores from E. arvense. Mature spores (MS) (open rhombuses) were cultured on Knop's medium. After 12 h dark imbibition, 87% of the rehydrated spores (RS) (open squares) completed rehydration, which were enlarged with an open trilete aperture. Then, spores were cultured under continuous illumination. At 8 h after illumination (HAI), 82% spores completed first mitosis to form double-celled spores (DCS) (open triangles). At 18 HAI, over 70% spores generated rhizoids, which were defined as germinated spores (GS) (crosses). At 32 HAI, more than 87% spores finished the second cell division, which were called spores with protonemal cells (SPC) (open circles). The spore germination rate (filled rhombuses) was increased gradually in this time course, and the maximum germination rate was over 95% at the stage of SPC. Error bar indicates ± standard deviation.