A palynological study of Scutellaria L. (Lamiaceae) in Iran.

Abstract

Pollen morphology of 17 taxa of the genus Scutellaria belonging to subgenera Scutellaria (sections Scutellaria and Anaspis) and Apeltanthus (section Lupulinaria) were examined by light and scanning electron microscopy (LM and SEM). The pollen grains of all Scutellaria species were tricolpate, their shapes were oblate-spheroidal or prolate-spheroidal. The lumina were separated by smooth or sinuate muri. Two types of exine ornamentation were recognized: bireticulate-perforate in all species in subgenus Scutellaria and microreticulate in all species of subgenus Apeltanthus. The results of this study showed that the exine ornamentation could be recognized as a useful taxonomic character for infra-generic classification of Scutellaria. This was in agreement with the latest taxonomic treatment of the genus, considering two subgenera for Scutellaria.

Keywords

• Lamiaceae
• Scutellaria
• pollen
• Iran