ibclogo XVI International Botanical Congess


Abstract Number: 3379
Session = 8.1.4


EVOLUTIONARY SIGNIFICANCE OF POLLEN CHARACTERS IN THE AMARANTHACEAE-CHENOPODIACEAE-ALLIANCE


Thomas Borsch, Universität Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 170, 53115 Bonn, FRG.


Pantoporate pollen of the alliance is diverse, in particular in Amaranthaceae. High resolution SEM, TEM, and LM, covering about 20% of the species, provided a representative dataset. Important features include the metareticulate structure (Gomphrenoideae, Psilotrichum), or the hook-shaped stellately arranged ektexinous bodies on pores (confined to 9 Amaranthaceae genera in angiosperms). Within Chenopodiaceae characteristic pollen is found e.g., in Polycnemoideae. Pollen of Salicornieae and Amaranthus is morphologically extremely similar. Differences of Sarcobataceae could be confirmed, since its type of pollen was not found in any other taxa of the alliance. A preliminary phylogenetic evaluation, including other currently available characters, indicates that pollen provides highly significant evolutionary information at various taxonomic levels.


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