A taxonomic aid arising from pollen grains of Cestrum L. and Solanum L. (Solanaceae): differences in ornamentation and aperture

Abstract

Solanaceae is represented by herbs, shrubs, trees and climbing plants and has cosmopolitan distribution, with a large number of native species in the Neotropical region. This study aimed to characterize the pollen morphology of ten species of Solanaceae (especially species of Cestrum and Solanum) from Cerrado forest fragments in Brazil, in order to contribute to the palynology, taxonomy and conservation of degraded areas. Pollen grains were acetolysed, measured and photographed using light and scanning electron microscopy. Qualitative data were described, and quantitative data were analyzed statistically according to sample size. Morphologically, the studied pollen grains vary in size (small to medium), amb (subcircular to subtriangular), shape (oblate spheroidal to subprolate), aperture details (very long, long or narrow colpi, rounded or tapered at the polar ends, colpi with margo, sometimes with a fastigium, endoapertures can present costa and median constriction) and ornamentation (psilate, rugulate, striate or microreticulate). We observed rugulate or striate pollen grains without fastigium for Cestrum species, whereas psilate or microreticulate pollen grains with fastigium were observed for Solanum species. Qualitative data on diameters and aperture measurements were also found to be important in characterizing the two genera. The results obtained here confirm Solanaceae as an eurypalynous family.

Scanning electron microscopic exploration of intricate pollen morphology and antimicrobial potentials of gourd family

“…The pollinic morphology and antimicrobial activities of 12 Cucurbitaceae species originating from the floristically rich desert region of Saudi Arabia were investigated, revealing intriguing insights into the stances (Fatmi et al, 2020). Qualitative data on pollen dimensions and apertural diameter variability were also discovered to be significant in angiosperm authentication (Landi et al, 2022). In order to identify the higher degree of pollination efficiency and improve trade-offs, our findings contribute to a better understanding of the effect that climate gradients have on the variability in pollen morphology among Cucurbitaceae species that inhabit arid dry lands of Saudi Arabia.…”

Contribution to Celastraceae palynology from Cerrado forest fragments: a focus on shape, amb and exine ornamentation

“…In recent years, manifold palynological studies have been carried out in the Cerrado forest fragment areas, especially in the State of São Paulo (Brazil). Families such as Bignoniaceae (Souza and Gasparino 2014;Souza et al 2019), Malpighiaceae (Belonsi and Gasparino 2015), Rutaceae (Dutra and Gasparino 2018), Amaranthaceae and Araliaceae (Landi and Gasparino 2018), Sapindaceae (Bellonzi et al 2020), Fabaceae (Soares et al 2021(Soares et al , 2022, Rubiaceae (Dutra et al 2020), Solanaceae (Landi et al 2021), Malvaceae (Lopes et al 2022) and Boraginaceae (Landi et al 2022) have been studied. These studies showed variations in the pollen unit, polarity, shape, amb, size, aperture and ornamentation of the pollen grains of these families, contributing to the taxonomic knowledge on and the conservation of these species in the forest area.…”