Pollen Morphology of Nymphaeaceae (S.L.)

Eleven taxa of the Nymphaeaceae (s. l.) belonging to five genera viz., BRASENIA , EURYALE , NYMPHAEA, NELUMBO and VICTORIA were examined for the present study. NELUMBO pollen is quite distinct from other genera of Nymphaeaceae in having 3-zonocolpate apertures and reticulate exine. In VICTORIA pollen are shed as permanent tetrads, while in BRASENIA, EURYALE and NYMPHAEA pollen are produced as monads. The pollen grains are l-(2)-aperturate, zoni or zonasulculate and hetero-or iso-polar. Exine surface is spinate, tuberculate, verrucate, granulate or psilate. The application of pollen characters within the family is discussed.