International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research
Abstract
Pollen morphology of four species belonging to three genera of tribe aveneae (Poaceae) was examined by light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The study showed that pollen in all species were circular in polar view, however, there are variations in equatorial view of pollen and other quantitative characters that is, polar and equatorial diameter, pore diameter and exine thickness, that are valuable in the identification and differentiation of species. Average pollen fertility in the tribe is 77.37%. Scabrate type of sculpturing is found in all species except Polypogon monspeliensis which showed the verrucate type of sculpturing and can be differentiated from Polypogon fugaxon the basis of its sculpturing pattern. The study revealed that pollen characters are important in the taxonomy of grasses at the specific and generic level and can be useful in delimiting taxa of different tribes
