Pollen morphology of the Balkan-Carpathian endemic Campanula lingulata Waldst. & Kit. (Campanulaceae).

Abstract

Palynomorphological characteristics of Campanula lingulata, the Balkan-Carpathian endemic species growing in Serbia, have been investigated using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy for the first time, in order to provide some information helpful for a better understanding of the taxonomic position of this species within the genus, as well as to contribute to the pollen atlas of Serbian apiflora. The pollen grains are radially symmetrical, isopolar, 3-zonoporate and medium-sized monads oblate-sphaeroidal in shape. Mean of the polar axis (P) is 27.6±1.9 µm, while the average length of the equatorial axis (E) is 28.8±1.6 µm. The apertures are operculate. The sculpturing pattern of the exine is microreticulate-microechinatae. The exine surface is covered with evenly distributed supratectal spinules of variable length and sparse granules. The longest supratectal spinules are 0.64±0.05 µm in length and the smallest sculptural elements are less than 0.2 µm high. The microechinae density per sample area of 5 µm × 5 µm averages 17.4±2.4.