Comparitative Research of Pollen Morphology of Common Flax Cultivars (Linum usitatissimum L., Linaceae)

Abstract

Pollen morphology of 11 cultivars of different purpose use of Linum usitatissimum was studied with LM and SEM microscopy. On average, pollen grains were radially symmetrical, isopolar, and prolate spheroidal in shape, tricolpate and of large size. All grains were semitectate with discontinuous tectum due to partial fusion of heads of the clavae. The clavae were dimorphic, clearly differ in size, but morphologically similar. The smaller ones were dominant. All observed cultivars were very similar in pollen structure and the differences among their pollen grains were primarily quantitative.

Keywords

• flax cultivars
• lm
• pollen morphology
• sem
• variability