Estudios sobre polen de Phaseolus

Abstract

Research was undertaken in the pollen morphology of 13 determined species, 2 unknown species and 1 interspecific hybrid of Phaseolus as part of a general morphological study of the genus to find characters of phylogenetic, taxonomic and diagnostic importance. Pollen samples were obtained from specimens which were planted in the open and in the greenhouse, flowers for the removal of the pollen grains being collected slightly before or during anthesis. All the pollen samples were uniformly prepared by Erdtman’s acetolysis method. Observations were conducted under a compound microscope on the apertures, sculpturing, patterns, stratification, shape and size of the sporoderm. The results of this study show that the genus Phaseolus is palynologically heterogeneous, and that the pollen types within the genus can be effectively used to identify species or groups of species. The reticulate types of pollen found are all Asiatic while the non-reticulate types are all American in origin.