Pollen diversity and its implications to the systematics of mimosaceous species byLMandSEM

In this study we have discussed pollen morphology of 14 mimosaceous species belonging to five genera by using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The palynological features of species were determined by both qualitative and quantitative characters. The qualitative characters include pollen shape, colpi arrangement, and exine sculpturing. Oblate spheroidal shaped pollens were noted inAlbizia procera,Albizia lebbeck,Acacia tortilis,Acacia ampliceps, andAcacia modesta, subprolate shaped pollen inLeucaena leucocephala,Prosopis julifera, andAcacia nilotica, prolate pollen inAcacia farnesianaandProsopis glandulosawhile spheroidal, sub spheroidal and sub oblate pollen grains were observed inAcacia catechu,Mimosa himalayana,Prosopis cineraria, respectively. Sparsely foveolate, reticulate, scabrate, and scrobiclate exine sculpturing were observed. Colpi with sunken ornamentation were seen inP. cineraria,P. glandulosa,P. juliflora, andL. leucocephalawhile colpi were absent in rest of the studied species. The quantitative characters were statistically studied using SPSS software. The current study gives important morpho-palynological characters for identifying and validation of close related and similar taxa which will aid to the phylogenetic analysis of Mimosaceae family.

Automated summary

In this study, pollen morphology of 14 mimosaceous species belonging to five genera was analyzed using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Qualitative and quantitative characters were used to determine palynological features. The study identified various shapes of pollen grains and different exine sculpturing patterns, providing important morpho-palynological characters for identification and validation of related taxa within Mimosaceae family.