Morphological, developmental and ultrastructural comparison of Osmunda regalis L. spores with spore mimics

A comparison of spores from Osmunda regalis L. and polystyrene-based spore mimics has been undertaken in order to provide insights into the development and formation of relatively primitive fern spores. In recent years, self-assembly experiments have provided different perspectives on the processes involved in pollen and spore wall pattern formation. The spore mimics obtained from the latest experiments closely resemble extant spore types and permit comparison with both immature and mature spores.