Palynomorphological study of Dianthus petraeus waldst. et kit. (Caryophyllaceae)
Abstract:
The pollen morphology of Dianthus petraeus (Caryophyllaceae), which is
endemic to the Balkans, has been examined by both light and scanning
electron microscopy in order to provide taxonomically valuable
characters that might be used in the classification of the
Caryophyllaceae, as well as to contribute to the pollen atlas of Serbian
apiflora. The pollen grains of D. petraeus are radially symmetrical,
apolar, spheroidal and medium-sized. The mean of the pollen diameter is
45.5 +/- 1.4 mu m. The sculpturing pattern of exine is
microechinate-microperforate, and the tectum is covered with minute
echini averaging 0.8 +/- 0.1 mu m in length, more or less evenly
distributed between the perforations. The microechini average number per
sample area of 5 mu m x 5 mu m is 3.2 +/- 0.6. In view of the number,
position and type of the apertures, the grains are polypantoporate, with
about 13 operculate pores, averaging 6.4 +/- 0.7 mu m in diameter. Each
operculum is covered with 4-6 conical spinules, which are longer than
those on the exine surface. The obtained palynological results provide
information that contribute towards a better understanding of the
taxonomic status of D. petraeus.
Keywords:
pollen morphology; Dianthus; endemic; light microscopySource:
Archives of Biological Sciences, 2015, 67, 3, 973-980Funding / projects:
- Ecophysiological adaptive strategies of plants in conditions of multiple stress (RS-MESTD-Basic Research (BR or ON)-173018)
DOI: 10.2298/ABS150116060M
ISSN: 1821-4339