Ultrastructural Features of Ontogeny of Pollen in Capparis Spinosa L. VAR. Inermis

SUMMARY

The pollen ontogeny of Capparis spinosa L. var. inermis was studied under the light and electron microscopes. Paracrystalline inclusions are present in plastids of the microspore mother cells during meiosis. Microspore tetrads are isobilateral with moderately proliferating dictyosomes, poorly structured plastids and lipid bodies in the cytoplasm. In the late tetrad period, the nuclear envelope is apparently the site of protein synthesis and storage. Release and microspore development in the free period are normal. The mature pollen grain is bi-celled, spindle-shaped and tricolpate with smooth exine. Dictyosomes are numerous and preferentially clustered in the pore regions. Ergastoplasm cisternae are more common in the peripheral cytoplasm. The plastids do not contain starch which is also absent from the sporogenous cells, during microsporogenesis and in all stages of microspore development.