Pollen Morphology of Plumbaginaceae in China
中国白花丹科花粉形态研究

The present paper describes the pollen morphology of 30 species belonging to 7 genera of Plumbaginaceae from China. The pollen grains were all examined under light microscope, and those of some species under scanning and transmission electron microscope. The pollen grains of the family are subspheroidal, prolate or oblate, (37.5-74.5)× (40.4-81.9)μ in size, 3-colpate, rarely 4-6-colpate, only pancolpate in Ceratostigma willmottianum. The exine 2-layered, 2.0-7.4μ thick, sexine thicker than nexine, verrucate, reticulate or coarsely reticulate. On the basis of the morphology, two types of pollen grains are distinguished in the family: (1) The pollen grains are 3-(rarely 4-6 ) or pancolpate, the exine verrucate. They are found in the tribe Plumbagineae (inculuding the genera Ceratostigma, Plumbago and Plumbagella). (2) The pollen grains are all 3-colpate, the exine reticulate or coarsely reticulate. They are found in the tribe Staticeae (including the genera Acantholimon, Ikonnikovia, Goniolimon and Limonium ).