On the Number of Pollen Grains contained in Anthers of Some Plants

Abstract

Of 21 spp. the authoress counted the number of pollen grains in an anther and compared the number of grains in it and the size of each grain. The number of grains in an anther is various and found that there is much difference by species, such as <100-45, 000. The result of each sp. is shown in table I. In this table column “A” indicates an average number of grains in an anther of a species; column “B” the number of the grains in a flower, basing on the number in column “A”, giving the number of anthers in the parenthesis. Column “C” indicates total number of grains in the flowers on an inflorescence showing the number of flowers in the parenthesis. Column “D” indicates an approximate number of grains produced on some 20cm long branchlet or a scape, the figure in the parenthesis being the number of flowers. In the meantime, the writer paid an attention of the number of grains in an anther and their size. In this attempt the present writer recognized, excepting some exceptional cases, number of small grains far exceeds that of larger ones. The above is an observation based on a limitted species and material and it is not the writer's intention to propose as a final conclusion.