Pollen Morphology of some Taxa of Genus <i>Gentiana</i> L. (Gentianaceae) from Western Himalaya, India

Abstract

The present study deals with the pollen morphology of 15 taxa of the genus Gentiana L. (Gentianaceae). Polleniferous material was collected from different locations of the Western Himalaya (India). Pollen micro-morphological characters were investigated using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All pollen grains were monad, isopolar and radially symmetrical, medium to minutae in size, sub-prolate to prolate in pollen shape class, 3-zonocolpate to 3-zonocolporate, with usually long tapering colpi. In polar view pollen grains were circular to triangular in outline with obtuse end, while elliptic or occasionally sub-circular in equatorial view. Exine was usually thick, tectate or semitectate. The morphology of the pollen grains exhibited significant variation in exine ornamentation viz. striate, striato-reticulate and reticulate, which is useful to evaluate species delimitations. The study revealed that the pollen characteristics appear to be informative and useful atinter- and intra-specific levels.