Pollen morphology of selected species ofAllium(Alliaceae) distributed in Iran

Abstract

Pollen morphology of 19 species of Allium representing six subgenera and 12 sections, were studied. The following characters were recognized as important for separating taxa at different taxonomic ranks: the sulcus, presence or absence of perforations on the pollen surface, density of perforations, size of perforations and size of the pollen grains. Rugulate, rugulateÁstriate, and simpleÁperforate exine ornamentation were distinguished. The type of sulcus is very characteristic in A. subgen. Allium sect. Allium. The extended sulcus was not observed in any species the other sections of subgen. Allium studied here, such as sect. Caerulea (A. capitellatum), sect. Codonprasum (A. lenkoranicum and A. stamineum) and sect. Avulsea (A. rubellum and A. umblicatum). Imperforated pollen grains were observed in representatives of A. subgen. Reticulatobulbosa and subgen. Polyprason.