PJB-2023-16
Micromorphological Investigation of Pollen grains of Cyperaceae in Western Himalayan Region
Hafiz Imran Fakhar
Abstract
The objective of this study is to provide palynological features of Cyperaceae from Western Himalayan for future studies. Cyperaceae species made a diverse assemblage in the Western Himalayan region and has always been a difficult plant family for taxonomical study. The palynological study of Cyperaceae was done in the past, mainly because of the occurrence of an unusual type of simultaneous microsporogenesis, which leads to the formation of pseudomonads. However, the recent advancement in Cyperaceae phylogeny data looks promising for the family’s grouping and evolutionary interpretations. In the current study, the micromorphological data of twelve taxa has been generated from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and its taxonomical implication has been determined. For taxonomical inferences both qualitative data; pollen shape, aperture, exine surface, and polarity as well as the quantitative data; size of pollen and aperture length have been applied. Pollen shape of most species is spheroidal, but some have prolate to sub-oblate. Exine ornamentation in all pollen studied was perforate and granulate, while exine aperture was monocolpate and tricolpate. Variation in quantitative data provide basis for identification at generic and specific level. The UPGMA cluster analysis distributed all taxa into four different groups. Only C. viridula from the Carex group showed peculiar behavior. Hence, this palynological study showed the significance of pollen traits as suitable taxonomical markers.
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