Seed and Pollen Morphology in Nine Native Chinese Species of Sorbus (Rosaceae)

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe present study focused on the examination of the seed and pollen morphology of nine native Chinese species of the genus Sorbus L. using Light Microscope (LM) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The crucial features investigated for seeds include color, shape, epidermal cell size, and seeds coat ornamentation. On the other hand, the pollen grains are analyzed based on quantitative traits as well as the following quantitative traits: polar and equatorial view, shape, apertures and exine ornamentation. Pollens of the studied taxa were monad and trizonocolporate. The most important pollen features include exine ornamentation based on traits of striae and grooves (length and width) and perforations (number and diameter). The variability of the observed morphological features for both seeds and pollen provide important characteristics to differentiate the studied Sorbus species.

Keywords

• Ornamentation
• palynology
• scanning electron microscopy
• Sorbus
• species delimitation