Pollen and seed surface morphology in some representatives of the genus Rhododendron L. in the Russian Far East

Inna KOKSHEEVA1 & Natalia NARYSHKINA2
1 Botanical Garden-Institute FEB RAS, Vladivostok, Russia
2 Institute of Biology and Soil Science FEB RAS, Vladivostok, Russia

We present a comparative study of pollen and seed morphology of three species of the genus Rhododendron L. subsection Rhodorastrum (Maxim.) Cullen. ocurring in the Russian Far East (Rh. dauricum L., Rh. mucronolatum Turcz., Rh. sichotense Pojark.) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Rh. sichotense Pojark. was examined for the first time. Statistical analysis of data revealed that, based on a set of morphometric traits of pollen and seeds the species are different from each other. The sculpture of the seed surface was uniform mesh (reticular), but the morphometric study of seeds allowed allocating an additional diagnostic feature - the coefficient of elongation of cells. Pollen grains of Rhododendron L. are firmly united in tetrahedral tetrads, the shape of which is orbicular triangular and abjoining tightly, radially symmetrical, suboblate, monad grains are spheroidal, tricolporate. Electron-microscopic studying of pollen of the species showed that one of specific feature is the type of apocolpial exine sculpture and around the aperture. Identified morphometric characteristics of seeds and pollen contained in the species also in culture, proves the stability of the selected features. The study was supported by the Far East Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and by Russian Academy of Sciences (project no. 12-I-Ï28-01).



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