Pollen morphology of selected melliferous plants and its taxonomic implications using microscopy

Abstract

This research aimed to explore the melliferous bee flora pollen from arid zones of District Attock, Islamabad Capital and Rawalpindi. Morpho-palynological features has provided key information for the classification and help to explain the taxonomy of several genera and species. Therefore, in this work, we examined the morphological characters of pollen potentially to be used for the species delimitation of bee flora. A total of 18 bee floral species, classified into 12 different families were collected, pressed, identified and then acetolyized to observe the grains under microscopy. Bee pollen can be described by small, medium to large sized morphotypes presenting five types of shapes, prolate spheroidal in (seven species), sub-prolate (six species), oblate spheroidal (three species), oblate and prolate (one species each) was examined. The observed polar and equatorial diameter were found maximum in Zea mays 73.5 μm and Pelargonium inquinans 66.75 μm respectively. Pollen of six different types was found namely: tricolporate, 3-zonocolporate, monoportae, tetracolporate, tetraporate and mononsulcate. Whereas highest value of colpi length was measured in Grewia tenax (24.55 μm). Exine surface nature of pollen was examined echinate psilate and scabrate. Exine thickness noted to be maximum in Verbena tenuisecta (8.40 μm) and minimum in Citrus macrocarpa (0.4 μm). Bee floral species considered difficult to identify based on other morphological traits were successfully distinguished using pollen quantitative and qualitative traits, confirming the importance of pollen morphology to diagnose characters to correctly identify honeybee flora. Research Highlights• Pollen diversity among honeybee flora.• Highly variations observed via microscopy in pollen micromorphology.• Palyno-morph has taxonomic value for the identification of honeybee floral species.

Studies of the pollen characteristics and the taxonomic significance of Impatiens from the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau

“…The addition of reticulation on the pollen surface could contribute to plant pollination and fertilisation and protect the genetic material in plant pollen. The reticulate pattern increases the structural strength and surface friction coefficient of pollen, which helps them interact with insects and increases the ability of insects to carry the pollen (Attique et al, 2022). In our classification based on pollen quantitative characteristics, we found that polar axis length, equatorial axis length and pollen size played an important role in the classification of Impatiens, which was similar to the results of most plant pollen studies (Zafar et al, 2022).…”

“…The classification of plants based on pollen characteristics is considered palynology. Plants of the same genus or different genera are crossed by selfpollination or through the actions of insects (Attique et al, 2022), wind and other factors (cross-pollination) (Zavada and Hackley, 2022). This carries the genetic material of the male parent, which is a necessary condition for plants to continue their offspring.…”

Studies on Pollen Morphology, Pollen Vitality and Preservation Methods of Gleditsia sinensis Lam. (Fabaceae)

“…Pollen viability is a prerequisite for successful pollination, playing an important role in fertilization and fruit setting of flowering plants [2,3], embryo development [4,5], seed quality [6,7] and breeding efficiency. Due to this importance, researchers have conducted many studies on pollen, such as the pollen development process [8], electron microscopy palynology [9], pollen viability detection and pollen preservation methods [10,11], signal transduction and related regulation during pollen tube growth [12][13][14]. All studies above are indispensable for plant cross breeding from practice to theory [15].…”

Morpho‐palynological and anatomical studies in desert cacti (Opuntia dillenii and Opuntia monacantha) using light and scanning electron microscopy

“…Palynologist elaborates the significance among pollen micro‐morphological characters in diverse plant groups from time to time and described it a highly effective to accurately identify plant species (Ahmad et al, 2009; Ahmad et al, 2011; Attique et al, 2022; Khan et al, 2017; Shah‐Hosseini et al, 2015; Usma et al, 2019). Literature also exists on pollen morphology of Cactaceae (Aguilar‐García et al, 2012; dos Santos et al, 1997; Garralla & Cuadrado, 2007) but the understanding of cactus plants reproductive biology is mainly inadequate with respect to morphological, physiological, biochemical, and ethnobotanical features (Martins et al, 2016).…”