Palynological Study to Some Taxa of the genus Colchicum L. (Colchicaceae)

Abstract

In this study, pollen grains of six taxa of the genus Colchicum L. that collected from the wild population during the flowering time in spring and autumn season in northern and northeastern regions of Iraq were investigated under light microscope (LM)and scanning electron microscope (SEM), three of the taxa were studied for the first time. We recorded the morphological features (shape, size, colour, number of aperture, symmetrical and ornamentation), The polar and equatorial axis dimensions of each pollen grain were calculated to obtain the ratio between the two dimensions that determine the shape of the pollen grains, then We found different points where each type of the species can be distinguished by pollen grains. they are diporate, Isopolar, bilateral symmetry, have circular shape in polar view, most of them are oblate shape in equatorial view, others are convex of one or two sides, exine ornamentation mostly reticulate but one is microreticulate.