Pollen Morphology of Some Apocynaceae Genera from Turkey

2nd INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON BIODIVERSITY RESEARCH, Rize, Türkiye, 18 - 20 Kasım 2020

In the present study, pollen morphology of five genera of Apocynaceae (Cionura Griseb.,

Cynanchum L., Gomphocarpus R. Br., Vincetoxicum Wolf and Periploca L.) were investigated and compared

among the examined taxa to contribute to their taxonomy. The plant materials were collected from natural

habitats in Turkey, dried according to standard herbarium techniques and deposited at the Herbarium of

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Department of Biology (RUB) and Herbarium of Faculty Pharmacy,

University of Istanbul (ISTE). Pollen materials were isolated from fixed materials and all observations

were performed using by light microscope. The genus Periploca, a member of the subfamily Periplocoideae,

is distinguished from the four studied genera in the subfamily Asclepiadoideae by the presence of ovate or

elliptical tetrads shedding onto spoon shaped translators. Asclepiadoideae members are characterized by

five pollinaria composed of a pair of pollinia and caudicles attached to a central corpusculum. The shape

of the pollinia is obovate in Cionura, ovate in Cynanchum, oblanceolate in Gomphocarpus and varied from

ovate, elliptical, and obovate, to clavate in Vincetoxicum. In the present study, pollen variations of some

Apocynaceae genera were examined and compared with taxonomic perspective for the Turkish

representatives. It has been determined that the pollen morphology is variable within the family and the

presence of tetrads or pollinia, the shape of tetrads, the shape and orientation (erect or pendulous) of

pollinia are distinguishing traits among the examined taxa.

Keywords: Apocynaceae, pollen morphology, pollinium, taxonomy