Pollen morphology of Aletris L. (Nartheciaceae) and its systematic significance

Microsc Res Tech. 2019 Dec;82(12):2061-2071. doi: 10.1002/jemt.23378. Epub 2019 Oct 1.

Abstract

In this paper, we studied pollen morphologies of seven species in genus Aletris in detail by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Of these, six species were reported for the first time. The palynological characteristics do not support the infrageneric classification into two clades. The results indicated that pollen grains of Aletris are small or medium with the P/E ratio of 0.36-0.59. They are elliptic or long-elliptic in the polar view with blunt, round or acute ends and bilateral symmetric with a monosulcate, narrow or wide, deep colpus that has length extending to the ends of pollen grains, obvious or absent colpus membranes. The pollen ornamentation is gemmate, perforated, or reticulate. The sexine is slightly or quite thicker than the nexine.

Keywords: Aletris; pollen morphology; systematics.

MeSH terms

  • Dioscoreaceae / classification*
  • Dioscoreaceae / ultrastructure*
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Pollen / ultrastructure*