J Syst Evol ›› 2008, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (1): 60-70.DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1002.2008.06036

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Pollen morphology of the genus Lasianthus (Rubiaceae) and related taxa from Asia

1,2Min CAI, 1Hua ZHU, 3Hong WANG*   

  1. 1(Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China)

    2(Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China)

    3(Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Biogeography, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650204, China)
    wanghong@mail.kib.ac.cn
  • Received:2006-03-08 Published:2008-01-18

Abstract: Pollen morphology of 16 Asian species including two subspecies and one variety of the genus Lasianthus and five species from five related genera was examined by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Lasianthus Jack is eurypalynous. The pollen grains are small to medium in size and spheroidal or subprolate in shape, with a few being prolate. Pollen morphology is remarkably diverse, particularly in aperture and exine ornamentation. The apertures are usually (3-)4-(-5)-zonoaperturate, being porate and pororate. The number of apertures varies from three to five, with the majority of species being 3-4 zonoaperturate. The exine is usually perforate, finely reticulate or coarsely reticulate. Pollen data appear to be morphologically informative and useful for distinguishing among species of Lasianthus, and for elucidating the relationships among some species.

Key words: Lasianthus, Pollen morphology, Rubiaceae