Palynological characterization of ferns of acarai state park, são francisco do sul, santa catarina state, southern Brazil

Sporopalynological descriptions are provided for fourteen species of ferns found to occur in Acarai State Park, a full-protection conservation unit in Praia Grande, São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil: Asplenium brasiliense Sw., Campyloneurum acrocarpon Fée, Cyathea phalerata Mart, Lindsaea lancea (L.) Bedd, Macrothelypteris torresiana (Gaudich.) Ching, Microgramma vacciniifolia (Langsd and Fisch.). Copel, Niphidium crassifolium (L.) Lellinger, Pecluma chnoophora (Kunze) Salino and Costa Assis, Pecluma pectinatiformis (Lindm.) M.G. Price, Lepidopteris pleopeltis (Langsd. and Fisch.) de la Sota, Rumohra adiantiformis (G. Forst.) Ching, Schizaea elegans (Vahl) Sw., Serpocaulon latipes (Langsd. and Fisch.) A.R.Sm. and Trichomanes cristatum Kaulf. Botanical material was observed while walking a trail of the park during 26 biweekly expeditions from May 2017 to June 2018. Fertile botanical material was verified and photographed. The studied ferns belong to four orders, eight families and thirteen genera of the subclass Polypodiidae. Spores were prepared, analyzed, photographed and measured using light and scanning electron microscopy. Descriptions and terminology followed the literature. An identification key is provided for the species.