Pollen morphology of selected species from the family Solanaceae

ABSTRACT

The pollen grains of 38 species and one variety of 17 genera in the family Solanaceae were studied using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Among them, the pollen morphology of 13 species was described for the first time. Our results suggested that the exine ornamentation of pollen grains could be divided into 11 types, made up of three types (cerebroid, granulate-perforate-punctate and rugulate-perforate) which were observed for the first time in Solanaceae, and other normal types (granulate, granulate-perforate, punctate, reticulate, rugulate, rugulate-striate, spinulose-perforate, striate). In addition, the studied species have pollen grains that differ in size, shape, equatorial view, polar view, aperture features and exine ornamentation, confirming that Solanaceae is a eurypalynous family. Furthermore, the intergeneric and intrageneric relationships of Solanaceae were explored. These results could provide a palynological basis for classification and systematic study of Solanaceae.

KEYWORDS:

• Solanaceae
• pollen morphology
• palynology
• systematics

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [under grant numbers 31270276 and 30470106]; the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University [under grant number IRT-17R75] and the Support Project of High-level Teachers in Beijing Municipal Universities in the Period of 13th Five-year Plan [under grant number IDHT20180518].

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [under grant numbers 31270276 and 30470106]; the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University [under grant number IRT-17R75] and the Support Project of High-level Teachers in Beijing Municipal Universities in the Period of 13th Five-year Plan [under grant number IDHT20180518].

Notes on contributors

Yuanyuan Song

YUANYUAN SONG graduated with a BSc in biological sciences from the College of Life Sciences of Capital Normal University, Beijing, China. She is studying for an MSc in botany at the same institution. She specialises in the palynology and taxonomy of the Solanaceae.

Lei Gu

LEI GU is a lecturer in the College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China. He received a BSc in biology from Sichuan University, Sichuan, China, an MSc in agriculture from Yunnan Agriculture University, Yunnan, China, and a PhD in botany from South China Botanic Garden, Guangdong, China. He researches plant systematics and evolution.

Jiaxi Liu

JIAXI LIU is a professor in the College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China. He received a BSc and MSc in botany from Harbin Normal University, Heilongjiang, China, and his PhD in ecology from Northeast Forestry University, Heilongjiang, China. He researches the palynology and embryology of the modern floras of several Chinese ecosystems.