Interspecific and intraspecific variation in pollen morphology in four species of Salix

Abstract

A study of inter- and intra-specific variation in pollen grain polar axis length, pollen equatorial diameter, colpus length, and colpus width in Salix discolor, S. eriocephala, S. lucida, and S. petiolaris demonstrated significant interspecific variation, unequal distances between the species, and various degrees of intraspecific variation. The taxonomic value of the pollen morphology parameters measured was found to vary according to species. A relationship between the pollen parameters measured to the ploidy level of the species is hypothesized. Key words: Salix, pollen, taxonomy.