Systematic Importance of Pollen Morphology of Some Plants of (Lamiaceae)

Abstract

<p>Pollen morphology of seven taxa belonging to Lamiaceae and common used as medicinal plants were examined by light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).<em> Thymus vulgaris</em> L.<em>, Mentha longifolia</em> (<a title="Carolus Linnaeus" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolus_Linnaeus">L.</a>) <a title="William Hudson (botanist)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hudson_(botanist)">Huds.</a> Mentha<em> spicata L.</em>, <em>Ocimum basillicium L.</em>, <em>Salvia elegans </em>Vahl<em>, Salvia farinace</em><em>a</em> Benth, and<em> Salvia splendens</em> Sellow ex Roem. and Schult. Pollen morphological characteristics are provided for these taxa. Among the studied taxa, <em>Mentha longifolia</em> has the smallest pollen grains, and <em>Ocimum basillicium</em> possesses the largest ones. The main shape of pollen grains in the most taxa suboblate, oblate – spheroidal or prolate–spheroidal. However subprolate are recorded for <em>Salvia elegans</em>. The grains are hexacolpate in all taxa, but in <em>S.</em><strong><em> </em></strong><em>farinacea</em> octacolpate pollen was found. Three distinct exine sculpturing exist, reticulate–perforate the common type, also reticulate, granulate and bi-reticulate. However, the fine details are characteristic to differentiate between the pollen species. Exine is microreticulate in case of <em>S</em>. <em>elegans</em> and <em>S.</em><strong><em> </em></strong><em>farinacea</em>, but reticulate-foveolate in case of S<em>. splendens</em>. As well as, the presence of holes on colpus membrane ornamentation can be used as a taxonomic tool for sectional division between. <em>S. </em><em>elegans</em> from <em>S</em><em>. splendens</em> is clearly distinct from the other taxa examined by its characteristic pollen morphology. </p>