Abstract: Gametophytes of nine species in Athyriaceae i.e. Athyrium sinense, A.dalingense, A.multidentatum (ineluding two forms with green and purple stipe respectively), Lunathyrium pycnosorum, Dryoathyrium coreanum, Cystopteris sudetica, Pseudocystopteris spinulosa, Gymnocarpium dryopteris and Allantodia crenata were cultrred and analyzed using easterase isoenzyme electrophoresis. The enzyme banding patterns show various differences each other among them. Within the species Athyrium multidentatum there are also obvious differences between two forms with green and purple stipe, that is to say, this two forms show different enzyme banding patterns. So it is suggested that if the green stipe form is regarded as the type species of Athyrium multidentatum, the purple stipe form may be regarded as its forma.

Key words: Fern Gametophyte, Athyriaceae, Easterase isoenzyme.