Pj. Stafford et Da. Sutton, POLLEN MORPHOLOGY OF THE CYCLANTHERINAE-C JEFFR (TRIBE SICYEAE SCHRAD, CUCURBITACEAE) AND ITS TAXONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE, Acta botanica gallica, 141(2), 1994, pp. 171-182
Pollen grains of the family Cucurbitaceae, subtribe Cyclantherinae C.
Jeffr. have been examined in the scanning electron and conventional li
ght microscope. In addition to pollen grain size, the 12 genera, with
some 75 species, show a range of different aperture, exine and ornamen
tation chracteristics, by which pollen can in many cases be identified
to species level. Certain species of Echinopepon Naudin in particular
share pollen grains of a distinctive, polyzonocolpate type, also seen
in the monotypic genus Apatzingania Dieterle. A morphological examina
tion of the plants themselves further suggests that these species may
be more accurately grouped together in a new combination, and that the
taxonomic relationships of the remaining species of Echinopepon need
to be re-evaluated.