PALXNOLOGICAL STUDIES OF FIVE TREE SPEEIES (EUGENIA NIGERINA L…,GOSSYPIUM HIRSUTUM L…,HEINSIA CRINATA [AFZEL].G.TAYLOR, KHAYA IRVORENSIS A.CHEV,IRVINGIA GABONENSIS BAILL.EX LANEN)AND ITS TAXONOMY IMPLICATIONS
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The project aimed to carry out palynological studies of five (5)tree species in Calabar with
the purpose of revealing characters of diagnostics importance in taxonomy/systematics and to
serve as a reference pollen guide for future research.The study objectives were to determine
pollen shape,pollen types,exine sculpture,polar/equatorial ratio,and pollen size.The method of
pollen analysis by Edrtman(1960)as recommended by Moore et al.(1991)was adopted for the
study,while photomicrograph of the prepared pollen samples were taken with the aid of
AmScope MA1000 camera with an in-built micrometer for measurement and permanent slides of
the prepared pollen samples were deposited in the Herbarium of Department of Plant Science
and Biotechnoloy,UNICROSS -Calabar,Nigeria.Results of the study presented three pollen
class (tricolporate,Tricolpate and pantoporate),two pollen shape (Prolate and Prolate-spheroidal),
five exine sculpture(granulate,Echinate,Scabrate,finely reticulate and reticulate),and only one
type of pollen arrangement (monad)were identified.Polar/Equatorial (P/E)ratio for the five tree
species range from 0.93-2.0 μm,while pollen size ranged from 13-92 μm.The finding of the study
presents variations and similarities in pollen characteristics of analyzed tree species highlighting
features that are significant for plant identification and evolutionary studies.The pollen
characteristics of these five tree species,such as their class,shape,exine sculpture,and size,
reflected their evolutionary adaptations and pollination mechanisms.These traits are key in
identifying plant species,understanding their ecological roles,and studying their evolutionary
history,as well as highlight the diversity within angiosperms and their adaptations to different
pollination strategies.The study therefore,recommended that more pollen study should be
carried out on extand pollen grains in order to have a pollen album of the study area which will
serve as reference document for future fossil and taxonomic study in addition to use of a more
sophistical microscope and software for measurement and photomicrograph be made available in
the department for this type of study for a more detail description of the pollen morphology
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