Pollen morphology and its systematic value to southern South American species of Lepidaploa (Vernonieae: Asteraceae)

Gisela Mariel Via Do Pico,Massimiliano Dematteis,Jimi Naoki Nakajima,Danilo Marques

doi:10.1590/2175-7860202172017

Gisela Mariel Via Do Pico, Massimiliano Dematteis + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/2175-7860202172017

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Abstract

Abstract Palynological data have been used in Vernonieae for generic and specific delimitations, particularly in the Lepidaploinae subtribe. For this reason, pollen studies in the genus Lepidaploa are important to solve taxonomic conflicts. We characterized 23 species of Lepidaploa searching for morphological differences among themselves. We then compared the data obtained with other genera of the Lepidaploinae. The results show that the species have pollen type “C” (with polar lacuna) or “G” (without polar lacuna), oblate-spheroidal, subprolate or prolate-spheroidal, 3-colporate and equinolophate. The pollen types and shape of pollen grain are taxonomically useful. Pollen morphology is useful to distinguish species and genera of Lepidaploinae. Together with macromorphological data it is possible to delimit Lepidaploa and the species studied here.

Highlights

The palynological studies are a very important tool in taxonomy allowing the differentiation of the taxonomically complex groups through the shape of pollen grains (Fazal et al 2013)
Throughout the decades several palynological studies have been used in the Asteraceae family (Compositae) due to the taxonomic importance that pollen has for the taxa of this family (Stix 1960; Besold 1971; Kingham 1976; Skvarla et al 1977; 1 Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (UNNE-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)), Corrientes, Argentina
Nine species present a pollen type that coincides with the “Vernonia cognata” pollen type designated by Stix (1960) or with pollen type “C” designated by Keeley & Jones (1977)

Summary

Introduction

The palynological studies are a very important tool in taxonomy allowing the differentiation of the taxonomically complex groups through the shape of pollen grains (Fazal et al 2013). Throughout the decades several palynological studies have been used in the Asteraceae family (Compositae) due to the taxonomic importance that pollen has for the taxa of this family Pollen grains of the Eupatorieae tribe are very uniform and do not provide palynological data for classification at the generic level (Payne & Skvarla 1970; Sullivan 1975). The palynological data found in the Vernonieae tribe have been successfully used in the infratribal classification (Keeley & Robinson 2009)

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