Spines, microspines and electric fields: a new look at the possible significance of sculpture in pollen of basal and derived Asteraceae

SKIRING, D.; BARREDA, V. D.; DOLINKO, A.; PALAZZESI, L; INCHAUSSANDAGUE, M.; TELLERÍA, M.C.

BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2018 vol. 125 p. 794 - 801

0024-4066

Effectiveadherence of pollen grains on the stigma surface is a crucial condition fortube germination and subsequent fertilization of ovules. We provide evidence,through computer simulations, that echinate and microechinate sculpture ofpollen in Asteraceae could play an important role in that process. It is shownthat electrostatic interaction increases in grains with few ornamental elements(echinate pollen typical of derived lineages) when compared with grains whichhave large number of ornamental elements (microechinate pollen typical of basallineages).We also show that grains of smaller size are more significantlyaffected by the electrostatic force. Although experimental studies arenecessary to ascertain the real effect of electrostatic forces on pollen-stigmacapture in Asteraceae, our contribution suggests that these forces might