Pollen morphology in Sicydium (Cucurbitaceae, Zanonioideae)

The pollen grains of seven species of the genus Sicydium Schlechtendal (Cuc urbitaceae, Zanonioideae, Zanonieae, Sicydiinae) are described and illustra ted using both light and scanning electron microscopes. The species include d in the study were: S. araguense Steyermark et Trujillo, S. daviliae Lira, S. diffusum Cogn., S. gracile( Cogn., S. schiedeanum Schlechtendal, S. tam nifolium H.B.K.) Cogn., and S, tuerckheimii J. D. Smith. The analysis of th e palynological information obtained showed that the shape and dimensions o f the pollen grains, and the distance between colpi, are characters that co uld be a very useful complement for the identification of Sicydium species.