A palynological perspective on the tribe Viteae of the grape family (Vitaceae)

Abstract

The tribe Viteae comprises about 200 species and is represented by the genera Vitis and Ampelocissus. Vitis is the most studied genus within the grape family (Vitaceae) because of the global economic importance of its fruits and derived products. This study examined the palynology of Ampelocissus and Vitis species belonging to the tribe Viteae to identify pollen characters that may contribute to the taxonomic and morphological characterisation of Ampelocissus. Pollen specimens were obtained from herbaria, treated by the acetolysis method, measured, photographed, and described using light and scanning electron microscopy. In the analysed species, pollen grains were isopolar or heteropolar, medium-sized, tricolporate, oblate spheroidal to subprolate. Ornamentation patterns differed among species, with examples of bireticulate, microreticulate, perforate, reticulate, and rugulate sexine. These characters were used for the development of a pollen key to the genera. Principal component analysis revealed that quantitative pollen characters were the most important for group discrimination. This study contributes to the palynological knowledge of some undescribed species and provides novel palynotaxonomic information on the family Vitaceae.

Keywords:

• morphological characterisation
• ornamentation
• pollen
• palynotaxonomy

Acknowledgements

V. Gonçalves-Esteves and C.B.F. Mendonça extend their thanks to Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for research grants (Chamada Universal 2018, process No 422903/2018-3) awarded to the first author. All authors are grateful to the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) for funding provided through the Auxílio Emergencial ao Museu Nacional grant (process No 200.090/2019). The authors are grateful to the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and the Post-Graduate Support Programme (PROAP) for awarding scholarships. The authors thank the herbarium curators for providing access to their collections and the Centre for Nanotechnology Characterisation of Materials and Catalysis of the National Institute of Technology (CENANO) for providing technical assistance with scanning electron microscopy.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Specimens investigated

Ampelocissus acapulcensis (Kunth.) Planch. Mexico, District Tamascaltepe, Guayabal. G. B. Hinton 3357, 09/II/1953 (US1636035).

Ampelocissus artemisiifolia Planch. China, Province Yun-Nar, M. Fabbé Delavay, no number, no date (NY).

Ampelocissus barbata Planch. China, Southern Anam, R. W. Squires 912, 05/VI/1932 (NY).

Ampelocissus elegans Gagnep. Malaysia, Singapore, Jun Wen 11 685, 27/VIII/2010 (US3665178).

Ampelocissus frutescens Jackes. Australia, Northern Territory, Jabiru, J. Russel-Smith 852, 06/XII/1983 (JCT).

Ampelocissus indica (L.) Planch. Ceylon, Kalutara District, H. Huber 277, 23/IX/1977 (US2891219).

Ampelocissus martini Planch. Philippine, Semerara Island, Elmer D. Merril 4150, VI/1908 (NY).

Ampelocissus ochracea Merr. Philippine, Surigao, C. A. Wenzel 3407, 28/V/1928 (NY).

Ampelocissus tomentosa (Roth.) Planch. India, Mysore, Hassan District, C. L. Saldanha 13 520, 05/V/1969 (US2794900).

Vitis acerifolia Raf., USA, Oklahoma, Donley Co., Jericho, Delzie Danares no number, 05/III/1956 (NY).

Vitis adstricta Hance. China, Jiangxi prov., Jiujiang Co., Tan Ce-Ming 9 605 117, 21/V/1996 (MBM238572).

Vitis aestivalis Michx. USA, Wisconsin, Richland Co., M. Nee 14 990-a, 28/V/1977 (MBM117798).

Vitis arizonica Engelm. USA, Arizona, Gila Co., L.R. Landrum 9764 et al., 04/V/2000 (MBM258859).

Vitis baileyana Munson. USA, Virgina, Dickenson Co., J. Wen 12 594, S. Ickert-Bond, 20/VI/2014 (US3684983).

Vitis bourgaeana Planch. Mexico, Veracruz, Yecustlas, Gutierrez B. 3995, 17/IV/1990 (NY).

Vitis cinerea (Engelm.) Millardet. USA, Alabama, Sumter Co., R. Kral 46 920, 30/V/1972 (MBM148735).

Vitis flexuosa Thunb. China, Yunan, Henry A. 10 549, no date (US457928).

Vitis labrusca L. USA, Pensilvania, Indiana, Frank W. Johnson, no number, 19/IX/1915 (NY).

Vitis monticola Buckley. USA, Texas, Kerr Co., Daniel Atha, Marie Greener 11 753, 13/IV/2012 (NY).

Vitis munsoniana J.H. Simpson ex Planch. USA, Florida, Levy Co., Bruce & Joann Hansen 9616, 20/V/1982 (MBM079581).

Vitis piasezkii Maxim. China, Chingai, Xining, Luo Chong-Chun 1392, 22/V/1996 (MBM206830).

Vitis riparia Michx. USA. West Virgnia, Tucker Co., no collector (MBM100228).

Vitis tiliifolia Humb. & Bonpl. ex Schult. Loc. Mexico, Michoacán, San Antonio Villalongin. E. Martínez S. y Joseluis Villa Señor 446, 29/III/1982 (BHCB31981).

Vitis vinifera L. Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, B. Rambo, SJ no date, 05/X/1951(PACA456).

Vitis vulpina L. USA, Washington D.C., Peggy Fleming 1113 31/V/1989 (US3204526).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico [Proc. 422903/2018-3]; Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro [Proc. 200.090/2019].