Atlas of the Oman pollen flora – Pollen morphology of the arid Arabian Peninsula vegetation

Abstract

A precise and consistent fossil pollen identification is crucial for the reconstruction of (long-term) vegetation and climate dynamics. The inspection of local reference material serves as the best basis for meaningful results. Digital pollen reference collections, especially for the hyper arid regions of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula are still sparse. Therefore, we want to contribute a descriptive and illustrated atlas of pollen from plants of the Sultanate of Oman. The atlas comprises around 400 pollen taxa on 43 plates from various habitats (e.g., mountains, wadis, deserts, coastal areas, and places shaped by human activities) characteristic for the arid environments of the Arabian Peninsula. It covers approximately 45% of all plant genera found in Oman. We provide high-resolution images of 402 taxa of 70 families as well as useful information on habitus, pollination, and habitat for each plant species as a useful guide for environmental reconstructions and interpretations from palynological investigations as well as the identification of pollen in honey.