Morphological characterization of pollen grains of Brazilian species of Bombacoideae (Malvaceae s.l.)

ABSTRACT The pollen grains of 15 species belonging to five genera (Ceiba Mill., Eriotheca Schott & Endl., Pachira Aubl., Pseudobombax Dugand, and Rhodognaphalopsis A. Robyns) of the subfamily Bombacoideae (Malvaceae s.l.) were acetolysed, measured, described and photomicrographed under light microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy, in order to characterize the pollen morphology of species of the subfamily occurring in Brazil. The pollen characters studied were size, shape, exine constitution, and apertural type. Pollen grains were medium to large-sized and isopolar with a (sub)circular and (sub)triangular amb with flat, convex or concave sides; oblate to suboblate; 3(-4)-colp(or)ate or 4-5(-6)-colporate, planaperturate, sinuaperturate; equatorial calottes different or not; exine tectate or semitectate, perforate and microreticulate with or without supratectal spines. The results confirm the eurypalynous nature of the group with variation among the studied genera being mainly in the exine pattern.