Abstract
Eleven Oxalis L. species from the province of Buenos Aires (Argentina) were investigated with scanning and transmission electron microscopes. We identified four different types and two subtypes of orbicules. We conclude that the close morphological similarity between these species is also reflected in their orbicules, and we suggest that the orbicules morphology may be a useful character in systematic studies.
Highlights
Ubisch (1927) observed granular bodies along the inner tangential walls of the tapetal cells in Oxalis rosea, and she pointed out the similarities of these bodies to pollen exine in staining properties
A) Morphology The orbicules are randomly dispersed on the inner surface of the anther locule
The orbicules of the species of Oxalis L. studied are morphologically diverse in size and shape
Summary
Ubisch (1927) observed granular bodies along the inner tangential walls of the tapetal cells in Oxalis rosea, and she pointed out the similarities of these bodies to pollen exine in staining properties. Kosmath (1927) studied the presence of orbicules in 69 taxa from 35 families. Bhandari and Kishori (1971) considered that the orbicules are composed of sporopollenin because the pollen exine and Ubisch bodies have a specific staining pattern with spirit-soluble aniline blue. Heslop-Harrison (1968) named these bodies “orbicules”, but Bhandari (1984) preferes the term. Ubisch bodies because it has been long used in the literature and is well understood both by LM and EM embryologists.
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