Abstract: Pollen grains of one genus in Lepidagathideae, two in Andrographideae and eight in Justicieae in the subfamily Ruellioideae, Acanthaceae, from China were observed under SEM. In the light of the aperture type and exine ornamentation, four types of pollen grains could be identified: (1) 3-colporate pollen with reticulate exine ornamentation. This pollen type occurs in one sample of Chroesthes lanceolata from Guangxi and in Andrographis paniculata. (2) 3-colporate pollen with reticulate exine ornamentation and with ribbed pseudocolpi, with the lumina finely reticulate inside and arranged in longitudinal rows. This pollen type (Rippenpollen) occurs in one sample of Chroesthes lanceolata from Yunnan and in Cystacanthus paniculata. (3) 3-colporate pollen with one pseudocolpus on each side of colpus, and with reticulate exine ornamentation. This pollen type occurs in Pseuderanthemum shweliense, and in Dicliptera and Gendarussa. (4) 2-colporate pollen grains with a row of areolae (insular streaks) on each side of colpus. This pollen type occurs in Pseuderanthemum, Leptostachya, Clinacanthus, Adhatoda, Calophanoides and Mananthes.

Key words: Lepidagathideae, Andrographideae, Justicieae