Abstract
The holoparasite flowering plant Orobanche nowackiana Markgr. is a rare endemic plant that parasitises the Ni hyperaccumulator species Alyssum murale Waldst. and Kit. in Komjan Mt. (Albania). The purpose of this study was to establish baseline data concerning aspects of its pollen biology. To achieve this goal three objectives were addressed: (1) describe pollen morphology; (2) study pollen production and fertility/sterility; (3) study the localisation of metals in anthers and pollen. Pollen morphology was investigated with light microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations. The pollen grains are 3-colpate, most often oblate-spheroidal, with long colpi reaching the poles. The ornamentation is microreticulate. The anther and pollen grains were micromorphologically analysed by SEM coupled with an energy-dispersive X-ray probe (SEM-EDX). Low concentration of Ni was recorded for anthers (0.38%) and pollen (0.1–5.6%). Variation in pollen production was found for the flowers of the same individual. The mean pollen production per flower and stamen was 59365 and 14938 pollen grains respectively. The sterile pollen was above the limit considered as a normal abortion and was between 10.1 and 38.0%. From a palynological point of view our results are important for taxonomy and support keeping the species in the genus Phelipanche.
Subject
Plant Science,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cited by
4 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献