POLLEN MORPHOLOGY OF EIGHT STEMODIA SPECIES (PLANTAGINACEAE) FROM SOUTH AMERICA

SOSA MM; PANSERI AF; SALGADO C

PALYNOLOGY

AMER ASSOC STRATIGRAPHIC PALYNOLOGISTS FOUNDATION

Año: 2011

0191-6122

The pollen morphology of eight species of the genus Stemodia L. (Plantaginaceae) is analyzed with the aim to contribute to the taxonomy of the genus. Pollen grains were examined with light and scanning electron microscopy. Pollen grains are spheroidal, sometimes prolate-spheroidal, small (P= 13 µm to 23 µm, E= 10 µm to 20 µm); subcircular or subtriangular amb, 3-colporate, sometimes 4–colporate, long colpus that arrives at the poles, defining a small , circular to slightly lalongate apocolpium with irregular margins. The exine is tectate, foveolate or microperforate, 1µm thickness, and uniform across the surface of the grain. The species of Stemodia analyzed herein present homogeneity in their pollen characters, which suggests that the genus is stenopalynous.