Pollen morphology and the flower visitors of Chaerophyllum coloratum L. (Apiaceae)

Abstract

-The pollen features of Chaerophyllum coloratum L., endemic to the Dinaric Alps, have been examined by both light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy in order to contribute to a better understanding of the taxonomic status of the species. Flower visitors have also been observed and analyzed with the aim of clarifying certain pollination aspects of the species including fl ower attractiveness especially to honeybees, and also in order to ascertain its contribution to the bee pasture. The pollen grains of C. coloratum are isopolar, radially symmetrical and medium sized. Polar axis (P) is 26.83±1.77 μm length, and equatorial diameter (E) is 9.17±0.57 μm length. P/E ratio amounts 2.90±0.10 indicating a perprolate shape. In an equatorial view, the grains are constricted in the equatorial region (bone-shaped), with obtuse polar caps. In polar view, they are triangular with obtuse angles and furrows in the sides of the triangle (interangular). The grains are tricolporate with three straight ectocolpi arranged regularly meridionally, of mean length 14.43±2.17 μm, each of which has one endopore. The characteristic internal thickenings around the protruding, clearly visible endopores (costae) in the constricted equatorial region are obvious in light microscopy. The ornamentation is psilate, irregularly rugulate ("cerebroid"), the exine surface is rather undulating. With regard to the observed fl ower visitors, the following pollination types occurred: melittophily, myophily, sapromyophily, cantharophily, and phalaenophily, and the most frequent pollinator was the honeybee.

Pollen morphology of Scaligeria DC. (Apiaceae) in Turkey

“…Pollen ornamentation is one of the most significant characteristics that can be used to separate taxa (Pınar et al, 2009;Mačukanović-Jocić et al, 2017;Zhang et al, 2017). We observed that Scaligeria was striate, striate-rugulate, striate-reticulate, rugulate, and rugulate-perforate in polar view and striate-rugulate, striate-reticulate, rugulate, and verrucate in equatorial view in exine ornamentation.…”

“…Pollen ornamentation is one of the most significant characteristics that can be used to separate taxa (Pınar et al, 2009;Mačukanović-Jocić et al, 2017;Zhang et al, 2017 Perveen and Qaiser (2006). However, ornamentation is of little value as a discriminating factor for the identification of pollen grains in Umbelliferae (Punt, 1984).…”

Prionosciadium guzmanianum (Apiaceae, Apioideae), a new species with red flowers from western Mexico

“…The flowers of the Apiaceae are homogeneous in their structure, but sometimes vary in their sexuality within the same inflorescence, in which male, female and hermaphrodite flowers are recorded (Mačukanović‐Jocić et al 2017). High compatibility between flowers has also been observed, so high percentages of self‐pollination occur, in addition to the fact that the design of the flowers and their arrangement in inflorescences, as well as an open reward system, has led to the consideration that they present promiscuous pollination (Lindsey and Bell 1985, Jury 1996, Zych 2006, Heywood et al 2007).…”

“…High compatibility between flowers has also been observed, so high percentages of self‐pollination occur, in addition to the fact that the design of the flowers and their arrangement in inflorescences, as well as an open reward system, has led to the consideration that they present promiscuous pollination (Lindsey and Bell 1985, Jury 1996, Zych 2006, Heywood et al 2007). However, some studies conducted in members of Apiaceae have recorded large numbers of floral visitors, of which few are effective pollinators and a certain degree of specialization has been recorded (Lindsey and Bell 1985, Schlessman and Barrie 2004, Mačukanović‐Jocić et al 2017). Prionosciadium is a genus with yellow, greenish‐yellow or purple flowers (Mathias and Constance 1967) and red flowers were not known in the genus until the recent discovery of P. tamayoi .…”

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“…The results of phylogenetics analyses of Downie et al (2010) Erdtman (1952). Then many Apiaceae species, originating from different regions or countries of almost all the continents, have already been palynomorphologically described by Cerceau-Larrival 1959, Ting 1961, Cerceau-Larrival 1962, 1965, Nilsson et al 1977, Van Zeist et al 1977, Punt 1984, Chester and Raine 2001, Doğan-Güner et al 2011, Ecevit-Genç 2014, Mačukanović-Jocić et al 2017. However pollen morphology of this family has been studied by various authors, there is not enough palynological study on the genus Physospermum.…”