A Surface-Structural Survey of Some Taxonomically Diverse Grass Pollens

Abstract

Scanning electron microscopy of pollens from 18 grass species (six festucoids, three chloridoids, one arundinoid, four panicoids, four andropogonoids) reveals variation in surface exine structure, involving presence or absence of an incised reticulum and differences in relative sizes and shapes of islands of spinules. The observations show some taxonomic correlations at generic and major- group levels. Scanning electron microscopy seems unlikely to help significantly in identifying grass pollens in field or atmospheric samples, though it may be helpful in checking the identity and homogeneity of samples intended for medical use.