Changes in Behavior of Mosses Treated with Ultrasound

Abstract

Short, growing filaments of moss protonema [Physcomitrium turbinatum (Mx.) Bridel] develop readily on mineral agar into normal plants; they produce branch filaments by a regular pattern of lateral divisions of the subapical cells and extend themselves linearly by divisions of the apical cell. Divisions of intercalary cells that produce two in‐line daughters in the main axis are quite rare, elongation of the axis being essentially restricted to the apical cell. Brief, low‐amplitude, topically applied sonic vibration of subapical, individual cells in the filament frequently results in the division of the treated cell or one of its near or distant intercalary neighbors so as to produce in‐line daughters. Persistent differences in growth pattern as compared to normal plants have been observed in several cultures of moss plants derived from single, treated, apical cells; they are described.