Pollen Flora of Pakistan-XXXI Capparidaceae

Turk J Bot 25 (2001) 389-395 © TÜB‹TAK Research Article Pollen Flora of Pakistan-XXXI Capparidaceae Anjum PERVEEN, Mohammad QAISER Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi - PAKISTAN Received: 19.09.1999 Accepted: 20.04.2001 Abstract: The pollen morphology of 14 species belonging to seven genera viz., Cadaba Forssk., Capparis L., Cleome L., Dipterygium Decaisne, Gynandropsis DC., Maerua Forssk., of the family Capparidaceae, was investigated using a light microscope and scanning microscope. The results confirm the eurypalynous nature of the family. However, palynology is significantly helpful at the specific level. Pollen grains usually radially symmetrical, isopolar, sub-prolate to prolate, generally tricolporate, often tetra-colporate. Tectum generally spinulose, or striate-rugulate, or rugulate-reticulate often sub-psilate. Key Word: Capparidaceae, Pollen morphology and Pakistan Flora Pakistan Polen Floras› XXXI-Capparidaceae Özet: Capparidaceae familyas›na dahil 7 cinse (Cabada Forssk., Capparis L., Cleome L., Diptergium Decaisne, Gynandropsis DC. ve Maerua Forssk.) ait 14 türün polen morfolojisi ›fl›k ve taramal› elektron mikroskoplar› ile incelenmifltir. Sonuçlar familyan›n öripalinoz oldu¤unu göstermifltir. Bununla birlikte, palinoloji tür düzeyinde yararl› olmaktad›r. Polenler radyal simetrili, izopolar, sub-prolat ile prolat, genellikle trikolpoorut, tetrakolporatt›r. Tektum genellikle spinoloz, striat-rugulat ya da rugulat-retikulat, ço¤unlukla subpsilatd›r. Anahtar Sözcükler: Capparidaceae, polen morfolojisi, Pakistan Floras› Introduction Capparidaceae is a family with c. 45 genera, and nearly 600 species are distributed mostly in the tropical and subtropical regions (Willis, 1973). It is represented in Pakistan by seven genera and 23 species (four cultivated species (Mabberley, 1987; Jafri, 1974)). The pollen morphology of the family Capparidaceae has been examined by Erdtman (1952), Narayana (1962, 1965), Mitra (1970, 1978), Fatima and Kusumakumari (1970) and Moore and Webb (1978). The present pollen data are based on 14 species belonging to seven genera from Pakistan examined by scanning and light microscopes. Materials and Methods Polliniferous materials were obtained from Karachi University Herbarium (KUH) or collected from the field. The list of voucher specimens is deposited in KUH. The pollen grains were prepared for light (LM) and scanning microscopy (SEM) by the standard methods described by Erdtman (1952). For light microscopy, the pollen grains were mounted in unstained glycerine jelly and observations were made with a Nikon Type-2 microscope, under (E40, 0.65) and oil immersion (E100, 1.25), using 10x eye piece. For SEM studies, pollen grains were suspended in a drop of water and directly transferred with a fine pipette to a metallic stub using double-sided adhesive tape and coated with gold in a sputtering chamber (Ion-sputter JFC-1100). Coating was restricted to 150A. The SEM examination was carried out on a Jeol microscope JSM-T200. The measurements were based on 15-20 readings from each specimen. Polar length, equatorial diameter, colpi length and exine thickness were measured. 389 Pollen Flora OF Pakistan-XXXI Capparidaceae In general, the terminology of Erdtman (1952), Faegri & Iversen (1964), Kremp (1965) and Walker & Doyle (1976) was followed. µm thick, sexine slightly thicker at the polar region than at the equator. Tectum finely reticulate lumina 0.05-0.15 µm in diameter, ± circular in shape. P.A.I. 0.69 Capparis spinosa L. (Figs. 1 E & F). Observations and Results General pollen Capparidaceae characters of the family Pollen grains usually radially symmetrical, isopolar, sub-prolate to prolate, or prolate-spheroidal rarely oblate-spheroidal, generally tricolporate, tetra-colporate, colpal membrane psilate to sub-psilate, or granulated, often spinulose or perforated. Sexine thicker or thinner than nexine, often slightly thicker at the polar region than at the equator. Tectum generally spinulose, or striaterugulate, or rugulate-reticulate often subpsilate. Pollen Descriptions Cadaba fruticosa (L.) Druce. (Figs. 1 A & B). Pollen grains subprolate, tricolporate, trilobed, size: Polar axis P (25.2-) 28.2 ± 0.47 (-30.8) µm, and equatorial diameter E (16.8) 22.4 ± 0.84 (26.6) µm. P/E ratio: 1.25, colpi (16.8-) 22.8 ± 1.0 (-28) µm long, with costae, colpal membrane psilate, ora lo-longate. Mesocolpium (12.6) 14.7 ± 0.37 (16.8) µm. Apocolpium (1.68-) 1.96 ± 0.28 (-2.8) µm. Exine (1.4) 1.55 ± 0.03 (-1.68) µm thick, sexine slightly thicker at the poles than at the equator. Tectum densely spinulated. P.A.I. 0.66. Cadaba heterotricha Stocks ex Hook. (Figs. 1 C & D). Pollen grains prolate, trilobed, tricolporate, fossaperturate, size: Polar axis P (19.6-) 23.4 ± 0.56 (-26.6) µm, and equatorial diameter E (12.6-) 15.5 ± 0.79 (-21) µm. P/E ratio: 1.50, colpi (16.8-) 19.4 ± 0.78 (-22.4) µm long. Mesocolpium (9.8-) 10.96 ± 0.8 (-14) µm. Apocolpium c.2.66 µm. Exine (1.4-) 1.56 ± 0.06 (-2.1) µm thick, sexine thicker than nexine. Tectum densely spinulose, spinules unequal in size, acute ± straight. P.A.I. 0.70. Capparis decidua (Forssk.) Edgew. Pollen grains prolate, tricolporate, trilobed, size: Polar axis P (18.2-) 20.16 ± 0.28 (-22.4) µm, and equatorial diameter E (11.2-) 13.9 ± 0.45 (-16.11) µm. P/E ratio: 1.44, colpi (16.8-) 17.78 ± 0.55 (-21.01) µm long, with costae, colpal membrane sparsely granulated. Mesocolpium (8.4-) 9.66 ± 0.25 (- 11.2) µm. Apocolpium C. 1.48 µm. Exine (1.4) 1.47 ± 0.07 (-2.1) 390 Pollen grains subprolate, tricolporate, trilobed, size: Polar axis P (18.2-) 19.4 ± 0.23 (-21.02) µm, and equatorial diameter E (14.01-) 15.6 ± 0.2 (-16.81) µm. P/E ratio 1.27, colpi (16.8-) 17.4 ± 0.22 (-18.2) µm long, with long narrow costae, colpal membrane psilate. Mesocolpium (7-) 7.9 ± 0.32 (-9.8) µm. Syncolpate. Exine (0.84-) 1.27 ± 0.056 (-1.4) µm thick, sexine as thick as nexine. Tectum sub-psilate. P.A.I: 0.51 Cleome ariana Hedge & Lamond. (Figs. 1 G & H). Pollen grains subprolate, tricolporate, trilobed, size: Polar axis P (17.5-) 19.63 ± 0.32 (-22.5) µm, and equatorial diameter E (14.5-) 16.39 ± 0.84 (-19.75) µm. P/E ratio: 1.19, colpi (15.01-) 17.20 ± 0.28 (20.01) µm long. Mesocolpium (18.11-) 11.67 ± 0.28 (15) µm. Apocolpium (1.5-) 1.62 ± 0.12 (-1.75) µm. Exine c. 2.25 µm thick, sexine thicker than nexine. Tectum rugulate-reticulate. P.A.I. 0.71. Cleome brachycarpa Vahl ex DC. (Fig. 1 I; Figs. 2 A-D). Pollen grains subprolate, tetracolporate, weakly trilobed, size: (16.8-) 19.4 ± 0.35 (-21.11) µm, and equatorial diameter E (15.4-) 16.7 ± 0.44 (-21) µm. P/E ratio: 1.15, colpi (14.01-) 14.6 ± 0.22 (-15.4) µm long, colpal membrane densely granulated, tapering at both the ends. Mesocolpium (9.8-) 12.8 ± 0.74 (-16.8) µm. Apocolpium c. 2.22 µm. Exine (2.1-) 2.60 ± (-2.66) µm thick, sexine thinner than nexine. Tectum densely spinulose-verrucate. P.A.I. 0.76. Cleome oxypetala Boiss. (Fig.2 E & F). Pollen grains (...truncated)