POLLEN MORPHOLOGY OF SOME MEMBERS OF FAMILY COMPOSITAE FROM SINDH, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Pollen morphological study of four tribes of the family Compositae viz: Astereae, Anthemideae, Ambrosieae and Cichorieae, occurring in Sindh region, reveal variations in exine sculpturing. Echinolophate, the advanced exine surface pattern is present in the pollen grains of the tribe Cichorieae, while echinate pollen were found in the tribe Astereae, vestigial spines in the Ambrosieae and echinate, vestigial to altogether non- echinate in the tribe Anthemideae. Almost all species reveal crassitegillate, crass-exinous and baculiferous sexines except in Launaea, Lactuca and Sonchus where no typical baculation is observed. Pollen grains with compound apertures show the colpus-like ectoaperture while the endoaperture is either "circular or "lalongate with smooth membrane.