Pollen morphology and its systematic implications in Abutilon Mill. species from Indian Thar Desert
Ilham Bano1 and G. S. Deora*2
1Taxonomy and Plant Diversity Laboratory Department of Botany, Center of Advanced Study, Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur - 342005 (India) 2Department of Botany, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur - 313001 (India) Author for Correspondence : E-mail- gsdeora0802@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Pollen morphology is one of the important tools to solve some taxonomic problems at family, generic or species level and has become part of the multidisciplinary and collaborative approach in plant systematics and evolution. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate and describe the pollen morphology of five species of genus Abutilon Mill. by using light microscope. The five species selected for study were Abutilon indicum (L.) Sweet, A. pannosum (Forst.f.) Schlectdl., A. ramosum (Cav.) Guill & Perr., A. bidentatum Hochst.A. Rich. and A. fruticosum Guill. & Perr. From Indian Thar Desert region. All studied species were stenopalynous isopolar, trizonoporate and with echinate type of exine ornamentation. Pollen grains were separated on basis of slight variation in shape which is determined by ratio of polar to equatorial diameter. Prolate spheroidal pollen grains were observed in A. indicum, A. pannosum and A. ramosum whereas oblate spheroidal in A. bidentatum and spheroidal in A. fruticosum. Exine is equipped with spines along with variable height and width. Spine index value was used to discriminate between species. These morphological characters of pollen grains can be used as taxonomic tool for delineation of Abutilon species belonging to the same genera.