Critical Point Drying of Liverwort Spores for Scanning Electron Microscopy

Abstract

Preparation for scanning electron microscopy by the Freon-critical point method prevents the collapse of thin-walled liverwort spores and eliminates desiccation artifacts. The success of the method is demonstrated by stereomicrographs of 1) the thin-walled multicellular spore of Conocephalum conicum (Marchantiales) and 2) the thin-walled Jungermannialean spore of Lophocolea heterophylla.