POLLEN PRESENTER AND POLLEN MORPHOLOGY OF BANKSIA LF (PROTEACEAE)

The morphology of the pollen presenter and pollen was studied in 79 ta xa of Banksia using scanning electron microscopy. There were three maj or types of pollen presenter. Elongated and cylindrical structures wer e characteristic of the series Banksia, Crocinae, Tetragonae, Coccinea e and some species of the Cyrtostylis and Abietinae. Short and cylindr ical pollen presenters were found in the series Salicinae, Quercinae, Prostratae and some species of the Cyrtostylis. Short and ovoid pollen presenters were found in the series Grandes and Dryandroideae, and in the species B. brownii and B. ericifolia of the Spicigerae and B. pul chella of the Abietinae. The pollen-receptive stigma cells of all taxa were enclosed within a groove, which in the majority of species was o bliquely terminal and longitudinal. Subterminal grooves, all of which were longitudinal, except that of B. speciosa which was located latera lly, were observed in a few species. Pollen of all taxa had two germin ation pores, at opposite ends of a cylindrical, ovoid or crescent-shap ed grain. There was a higher level of between species and between grou p consistency in pollen grain than in pollen presenter structure. The results have implications for both the interspecific fertility relatio nships and taxonomy of the genus.