Equistetum sp. strobilus
Transverse section of a Equistetum sp. strobilus (spore producing structure) showing two sporangiophores. The single sporangium at the right contains less developed spores . Note that the sporangium is still filled with the tapetum. The tapetum dissolves as the spores develop with the result shown at left. The strobilus as found is shown at: www.flickr.com/photos/14643312@N02/18511410355/. The specimen is from the edge of the Dowagiac River.
The protocol was as follows. Specimens fixed in FAA (formaldehyde, acetic acid, ethanol) 24 hr. Dehydrated in 35, 50, 75, 85, 95, 99 % IPA in water, 6 hours each min. Infiltrated in xylene saturated with Paraplast for 2 days, followed by 2 changes of melted Paraplast for 2 hours each. Embedded in Paraplast. Sectioned on a Spencer 820 microtome at 11 micron. Cleared in Xylene 2X, 10 min each. Rehydrated 99 (10 min), 90 (10 min.), 85, 70 % IPA, 2 min. each. Stained in Johansen's Safranin-O Fast Green. Cleared 2X xyene 5 min each. Mounted with DEPEX.
Photographed on a Spencer 42 petrographic polarizing microscope using an original magnification of 30X, using a Sony NEX 5N with a Leica MIKAS 1/3X adapter.
Equistetum sp. strobilus
Transverse section of a Equistetum sp. strobilus (spore producing structure) showing two sporangiophores. The single sporangium at the right contains less developed spores . Note that the sporangium is still filled with the tapetum. The tapetum dissolves as the spores develop with the result shown at left. The strobilus as found is shown at: www.flickr.com/photos/14643312@N02/18511410355/. The specimen is from the edge of the Dowagiac River.
The protocol was as follows. Specimens fixed in FAA (formaldehyde, acetic acid, ethanol) 24 hr. Dehydrated in 35, 50, 75, 85, 95, 99 % IPA in water, 6 hours each min. Infiltrated in xylene saturated with Paraplast for 2 days, followed by 2 changes of melted Paraplast for 2 hours each. Embedded in Paraplast. Sectioned on a Spencer 820 microtome at 11 micron. Cleared in Xylene 2X, 10 min each. Rehydrated 99 (10 min), 90 (10 min.), 85, 70 % IPA, 2 min. each. Stained in Johansen's Safranin-O Fast Green. Cleared 2X xyene 5 min each. Mounted with DEPEX.
Photographed on a Spencer 42 petrographic polarizing microscope using an original magnification of 30X, using a Sony NEX 5N with a Leica MIKAS 1/3X adapter.