Abstract
Pollen morphological studies of 10 species and 3 varieties of
Melanoseris Decne. (Cichorieae-Asteraceae) were conducted from
Pakistan and Kashmir. Pollen were studied by using Light microscope,
Fluorescent microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope. Pollen of seven
taxa were examined for the first time including four endemic species to
the study area. Pollen grains are usually isopolar, spheroidal to
oblate-spheroidal, elliptic to rarely circular in equatorial view,
hexagonal in polar view, trizonocolporate and echinolophate with 15
lacunae. Significant variation has been found mainly in the size of
pollen, number of echinae and sculpturing of the polar area.
Agglomerative cluster analysis based on the 14 pollen morphological
characters, showed that diameter of polar and equatorial axis, pollen
size and polar axis were the most valuable variables in explaining total
variation and separating the studied taxa. All the examined taxa were
grouped into two distinct pollen-types viz., Melanoseris alii –
type and Melanoseris stewartii – type. Keys to the pollen types
and species of each pollen type are provided. The correlation between
the results of recent phylogenetic studies and the present palynological
results are discussed.