Lorrayne Albernaz Domingues Camilo Landi’s research while affiliated with São Paulo State University and other places

Columneinae, a morphologically diverse Neotropical group of Gesneriaceae, is strongly supported as a monophyletic, but many of the genera are weekly supported and lack diagnostic characters at the generic level. Predominantly distributed in the Andes and Amazon biomes, this group has not been evaluated from a palynological context. To address this gap and initiate comprehensive pollen studies within Columneinae, we conducted analyses on 28 species belonging to the genera Centrosolenia Benth., Chrysothemis Decne., Columnea L., Drymonia Mart., Glossoloma Hanst., Lesia J.L.Clark & J.F.Sm., Nautilocalyx Linden., and Trichodrymonia Oerst. Pollen grains were subjected to acetolysis, measurement, and light microscopy, with select species also examined under scanning electron microscopy. Quantitative data underwent statistical analysis tailored to the sample size and multivariate analysis. Variability was observed in size, shape, aperture type, aperture number, ectoaperture length, endoaperture shape, and exine ornamentation. The diverse morphological features led to the identification of distinct pollen types within Columneinae clades. Our findings suggest that eurypalynous pollen grains define most Columneinae and that stenopalynous pollen grains define Chrysothemis ; however, comprehensive palynological studies involving a broader array of species within the subtribe are imperative to enhance our understanding of its palynology.

The pollen morphology of 17 species and three varieties of the native mimosoid clade of forest fragments of the Cerrado (Brazilian savanna) was studied in order to expand the knowledge on the morphology of genera and species of this group, in particular on the morphology of polyads, as well as add information to pollen studies for species of Caesalpinioideae occurring in the area. The pollen grains were acetolysed, measured, described qualitatively and illustrated under light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (not acetolysed pollen grains). Pollen metric data were examined by descriptive and multivariate analysis. The studied species showed differences on the pollen units (monads or polyads) and variations in number and distribution of pollen grains in the polyads. Three pollen types were observed: type I, pollen grains in monads (Plathymenia reticulata); type II, polyads with one tapered end (drop shape – Calliandra parviflora); type III, polyads with uniform ends with asymmetrically distributed pollen grains (Stryphnodendron species); or symmetrically (with 16 or 20 pollen grains in Acacia plumosa, Albizia niopoides, Anadenanthera species, Inga marginata, Inga vera and Senegalia species and more than 20 pollen grains in Enterolobium contortisiliquum, Inga edulis and Inga sessilis). The qualitative differences and the measuremets of the diameters of the polyads, made it possible to distinguish the taxa and to confirm the eurypalynous character of the mimosoid clade (Caesalpinioideae, Fabaceae).

ABSTRACT Solanaceae is represented by herbs, shrubs, trees and climbing plants and has cosmopolitan distribution, with a large number of native species in the Neotropical region. This study aimed to characterize the pollen morphology of ten species of Solanaceae (especially species of Cestrum and Solanum) from Cerrado forest fragments in Brazil, in order to contribute to the palynology, taxonomy and conservation of degraded areas. Pollen grains were acetolysed, measured and photographed using light and scanning electron microscopy. Qualitative data were described, and quantitative data were analyzed statistically according to sample size. Morphologically, the studied pollen grains vary in size (small to medium), amb (subcircular to subtriangular), shape (oblate spheroidal to subprolate), aperture details (very long, long or narrow colpi, rounded or tapered at the polar ends, colpi with margo, sometimes with a fastigium, endoapertures can present costa and median constriction) and ornamentation (psilate, rugulate, striate or microreticulate). We observed rugulate or striate pollen grains without fastigium for Cestrum species, whereas psilate or microreticulate pollen grains with fastigium were observed for Solanum species. Qualitative data on diameters and aperture measurements were also found to be important in characterizing the two genera. The results obtained here confirm Solanaceae as an eurypalynous family.

Boraginaceae s.l., the single family of Boraginales, are extremely diverse in terms of morphology, their species are well distributed in South America especially in Brazilian ecosystems. The pollen morphology of 11 Brazilian native species and four genera (Cordia L., Varronia P. Browne, Heliotropium L. and Myriopus Small) of Boraginaceae s.l. was investigated in order to expand the morphological knowledge of their species, contributing with new data for the palynology, taxonomy, and conservation of the family. The pollen grains were acetolyzed, measured, photographed using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and described qualitatively. The analyzed species present differences in size, shape, type and number of apertures (3-porate, 3-colpate, 3-colporate and heterocolpate) and exine ornamentation (psilate, echinate, microechinate-verrucate, reticulate and rugulate) of the pollen grains, allowing the distinction of species studied. Multivariate analysis of measurements confirms the qualitative description and pollen diversity in Cordiaceae species. Smaller diameter values and similarities in aperture and exine ornamentation characterize the Heliotropiaceae species.Our data reinforce the taxonomic importance of pollen morphology and Boraginaceae s.l. as eurypalynous.

This study presents the pollen morphology of 11 Brazilian native species and one variety of Caesalpinioideae and Detarioideae (Fabaceae) from forest patches of São Paulo, Brazil. The aim of this research is to expand the morphological knowledge of the species of these subfamilies, contributing to the taxonomic study and to the conservation of these species in the forest area. The pollen grains were acetolysed, measured, described qualitatively and illustrated using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Differences in pollen unit (tetrads or monads), size (small to large), amb (circular to triangular), shape (oblate to prolate), details of the polar area (very small to large), position of apertures (angulaperturate, planaperturate, subplanaperturate or fossaperturate), type of endoapertures (lolongate, circular or lalongate) and exine ornamentation (psilate, scabrate, microreticulate or reticulate heterobrochate) help the segregation of pollen grains of the analyzed species. In this study, the metric variables related to the apertures assist in the quantitative separation of the species (multivariate analysis), and these variables together with the qualitative data contribute to affirm the eurypalynous character for the subfamilies Caesalpinioideae and Detarioideae.

RESUMO Foram investigados os grãos de pólen de duas espécies de Amaranthaceae e três espécies de Araliaceae ocorrentes em fragmentos florestais remanescentes, contribuindo dessa forma com a palinologia, taxonomia e conservação de áreas degradadas. Os grãos de pólen foram acetolisados, medidos, descritos qualitativamente e fotografados sob microscopia de luz e de varredura. Os dados quantitativos foram analisados por estatística descritiva. Os grãos de pólen das espécies de Amaranthaceae são mônades, pequenos, apolares, esféricos, pantoporados com exina metarreticulada. Os das espécies de Araliaceae são mônades, pequenos a médios, isopolares, âmbito subcircular a subtriangular, oblato-esferoidais a subprolatos, 3-colporados, algumas vezes com vestíbulo, endoaberturas lalongadas e exina microrreticulada. Os dados obtidos confirmam o caráter estenopolínico de Amaranthaceae, no entanto as espécies de Araliaceae apresentam características de abertura dos seus grãos de pólen que podem ser usadas para diferenciá-las.