Abstract
The aim of the present work is to provide an account on the morphological features of pollen of Veronica species in Turkey, as a contribution to future research. Pollen morphology of 20 species of the Veronica were investigated using Light Microscope (LM) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Different palyno-morphological features including; pollen ornamentation, colpus ornamentation, size of polar and equatorial diameter, P/E ratio, exine thickness, and size of colpus were observed. The study revealed that the pollen grains of the studied Veronica species were in all cases tricolpate, radially symmetrical and isopolar, oblate-spheroidal or prolate spheroidal. The surface pattern of the exine varied from striato-reticulate and striato-microreticulate to microechinate-perforate, which allows recognition of three homonymous types of pollen grains.
References
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<p>Ekim, T. (2000) <em>Veronica </em>L. <em>In: </em>Güner, A., Özhatay, N., Ekim, T. & Başer, K.H.C. (Eds.) <em>Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands</em> (Suppl. 2), vol. 11. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, pp. 194–196.</p>
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<p>Erdtman, G. (1960) The acetolysis method. A revised description. <em>Svensk Botanisk Tidskrift </em>54: 561–564.</p>
<p>Fernández, I., Juan, R. & Pastor, J. (1997) Morfología polínica de <em>Veronica</em> L. (Scrophulariaceae) en el suroeste de España. <em>Acta Botanica Malacitana</em> 22: 65–72.</p>
<p>Fischer, M.A. (1978) <em>Veronica</em> L. <em>In:</em> Davis, P.H. (Ed.) <em>Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands</em>, vol. 6<em>.</em> Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, pp. 689–753.</p>
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<p>Hong, D.-Y. & Nilsson, S. (1983) On the validity of the genus <em>Cochlidiosperma</em> Reichenb. (Scrophulariaceae) as supported by additional palynological evidence. <em>Journal of Systematics and Evolution </em>21: 143–150. https://www.jse.ac.cn/EN/Y1983/V21/I2/143</p>
<p>Hong, D.-Y. (1984) Taxonomy and evolution of the Veroniceae (Scrophulariaceae) with special reference to palynology. <em>Opera Botanica</em> 75: 1–60.</p>
<p>Huang, T.C. (1972) <em>Pollen flora of Taiwan</em>. Departement of Botany National Taiwan University, Taipei, 297 pp.</p>
<p>Jussieu, A.L. (1789) <em>Genera plantarum: secundum ordines naturales disposita</em>. Apud viduam Herissant et Theophilum Barrois, Paris, 498 pp.</p>
<p>IPNI (2020 [continuously updated]) International Plant Names Index. Published on the Internet: https://www.ipni.org (accessed 27 February 2020)</p>
<p>Linnaeus, C. (1753) <em>Species plantarum, </em>vol. 1. Impensis Laurentii Salvii, Holmiae [Stockholm], 560 pp.</p>
<p>Martínez-Ortega, M.M., Sánchez, J.S. & Rico, E. (2000) Palynological study of <em>Veronica</em> Sect. <em>Veronicae</em> and Sect. <em>Veronicastrum</em> (Scrophulariaceae) and its taxonomic significance. <em>Grana </em>39: 21–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/00173130150503777</p>
<p>Öztürk, A. (2001) Two new species of <em>Veronica</em> L. Scrophulariaceae) from Turkey, <em>V. vanensis</em> and <em>V. yildirimlii</em>. <em>The Herb Journal of Systematic Botany </em>8: 5–8.</p>
<p>POWO (2019 [continuously updated]) Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet: http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/ (accessed 27 February 2020)</p>
<p>Punt, W., Hoen, P.P., Blackmore, S., Nilsson, S. & Le Thomas, A. (2007) Glossary of pollen and spore terminology. <em>Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology </em>143: 1–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.revpalbo.2006.06.008</p>
<p>Risch, C. (1939) Die Pollenkorner der in Deutschland wild wachsenden Scrophulariaceaen. <em>Berichte der Deutschen Botanischen Gesellschaft </em>57: 108–121.</p>
<p>Saeidi-Mehrvarz, S. & Zarrei, M. (2006) Pollen morphology of some species of the genus <em>Veronica</em> (Scrophulariaceae) in Iran. <em>Wulfenia </em>13: 1–9.</p>
<p>Sánchez Agudo, J.Á., Rico, E., Sánchez Sánchez, J. & Martínez-Ortega, M.M. (2009) Pollen morphology in the genus <em>Veronica</em> L. (Plantaginaceae) and its systematic significance<em>. Grana </em>48: 239–257. https://doi.org/10.1080/00173130903364723</p>
<p>SPSS (2016) IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 24.0. IBM Corp., Armonk.</p>
<p>Thiers, B. (2020 [continuously updated]) Index Herbariorum: a global directory of public herbaria and associated staff. New York Botanical Garden’s Virtual Herbarium. Published on the Internet: http://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/ih (accessed 27 February 2020)</p>
<p>Varghese, T.M. (1968) Studies in the family Scrophulariaceae-II Pollen morphology. <em>Journal of Palynology </em>4: 91–97.</p>
<p>WFO (2020 [continuously updated]) World Flora Online. Published on the Internet: http://www.worldfloraonline.org (accessed 27 February 2020)</p>
<p>Wodehouse, R.P. (1935) <em>Pollen grains</em>. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 574 pp.</p>
<p>Yaylacı, Ö.K., Sezer, O., Özgişi, K., Öztürk, D., Erkara, İ.P., Koyuncu, O. & Ocak, A. (2018) A new <em>Veronica</em> (Plantaginaceae) species from central Anatolia, Turkey. <em>Phytotaxa </em>362: 55–67. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.362.1.4</p>
<p>Albach, D.C., Martínez-Ortega, M.M., Delgado, L., Weiss-Schneeweiss, H., Özgökce, F. & Fischer, M.A. (2008) Chromosome numbers in Veroniceae: review and several new counts. <em>Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden </em>95: 543–566.</p>
<p>Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (1998) An ordinal classification for the families of flowering plants. <em>Annals of the Missouri Botanic Garden </em>85: 531–553. https://doi.org/10.2307/2992015</p>
<p>Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2003) An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG II. <em>Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society </em>141: 399–436. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1095-8339.2003.t01-1-00158.x</p>
<p>Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2009) An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG III. <em>Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society </em>161: 105–121. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00996.x</p>
<p>Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2016) An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG IV. <em>Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society </em>181: 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1111/boj.12385</p>
<p>Bizimbitkiler (2013) Version 3.1. Available at: http://www.bizimbitkiler.org.tr (accessed 27 February 2020)</p>
<p>Başer, B., Kocaman, S. & Kurşat, M. (2020) Pollen morphology of some taxa belonging to <em>Veronica</em> L. (Plantaginaceae) and its taxonomic importance. <em>Biological Diversity and Conservation</em>13: 274–281. https://doi.org/10.46309/biodicon.2020.756267</p>
<p>Christenhusz, M.J. & Byng, J.W. (2016) The number of known plants species in the world and its annual increase. <em>Phytotaxa </em>261: 201–217. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.261.3.1</p>
<p>Davis, P.H., Mill, R.R. & Tan, K. <strong>(</strong>1988) <em>Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands</em> (Suppl. 1), vol. 10. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 590 pp.</p>
<p>Ekim, T. (2000) <em>Veronica </em>L. <em>In: </em>Güner, A., Özhatay, N., Ekim, T. & Başer, K.H.C. (Eds.) <em>Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands</em> (Suppl. 2), vol. 11. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, pp. 194–196.</p>
<p>Erdtman, G. (1945) Pollen Morphology and Plant Taxonomy. IV. <em>Svensk Botanisk Tidskrift </em>39: 279–285.</p>
<p>Erdtman, G. (1952) <em>Pollen morphology and Plant Taxonomy. Angiosperms</em>. Chronica Botanica Co., Waltham, 539 pp.</p>
<p>Erdtman, G. (1960) The acetolysis method. A revised description. <em>Svensk Botanisk Tidskrift </em>54: 561–564.</p>
<p>Fernández, I., Juan, R. & Pastor, J. (1997) Morfología polínica de <em>Veronica</em> L. (Scrophulariaceae) en el suroeste de España. <em>Acta Botanica Malacitana</em> 22: 65–72.</p>
<p>Fischer, M.A. (1978) <em>Veronica</em> L. <em>In:</em> Davis, P.H. (Ed.) <em>Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands</em>, vol. 6<em>.</em> Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, pp. 689–753.</p>
<p>Fischer, M.A. (1984) <em>Veronica fridericae</em>, a new species from Eastern Turkey. <em>Plant Systematics and Evolution </em>144: 67–71. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00990802</p>
<p>Halbritter, H., Ulrich, S., Grímsson, F., Weber, M., Zetter, R., Hesse, M. & Frosch-Radivo, A. (2018) <em>Illustrated pollen terminology.</em> Springer, 487 pp. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71365-6</p>
<p>Hong, D.-Y. & Nilsson, S. (1983) On the validity of the genus <em>Cochlidiosperma</em> Reichenb. (Scrophulariaceae) as supported by additional palynological evidence. <em>Journal of Systematics and Evolution </em>21: 143–150. https://www.jse.ac.cn/EN/Y1983/V21/I2/143</p>
<p>Hong, D.-Y. (1984) Taxonomy and evolution of the Veroniceae (Scrophulariaceae) with special reference to palynology. <em>Opera Botanica</em> 75: 1–60.</p>
<p>Huang, T.C. (1972) <em>Pollen flora of Taiwan</em>. Departement of Botany National Taiwan University, Taipei, 297 pp.</p>
<p>Jussieu, A.L. (1789) <em>Genera plantarum: secundum ordines naturales disposita</em>. Apud viduam Herissant et Theophilum Barrois, Paris, 498 pp.</p>
<p>IPNI (2020 [continuously updated]) International Plant Names Index. Published on the Internet: https://www.ipni.org (accessed 27 February 2020)</p>
<p>Linnaeus, C. (1753) <em>Species plantarum, </em>vol. 1. Impensis Laurentii Salvii, Holmiae [Stockholm], 560 pp.</p>
<p>Martínez-Ortega, M.M., Sánchez, J.S. & Rico, E. (2000) Palynological study of <em>Veronica</em> Sect. <em>Veronicae</em> and Sect. <em>Veronicastrum</em> (Scrophulariaceae) and its taxonomic significance. <em>Grana </em>39: 21–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/00173130150503777</p>
<p>Öztürk, A. (2001) Two new species of <em>Veronica</em> L. Scrophulariaceae) from Turkey, <em>V. vanensis</em> and <em>V. yildirimlii</em>. <em>The Herb Journal of Systematic Botany </em>8: 5–8.</p>
<p>POWO (2019 [continuously updated]) Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet: http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/ (accessed 27 February 2020)</p>
<p>Punt, W., Hoen, P.P., Blackmore, S., Nilsson, S. & Le Thomas, A. (2007) Glossary of pollen and spore terminology. <em>Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology </em>143: 1–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.revpalbo.2006.06.008</p>
<p>Risch, C. (1939) Die Pollenkorner der in Deutschland wild wachsenden Scrophulariaceaen. <em>Berichte der Deutschen Botanischen Gesellschaft </em>57: 108–121.</p>
<p>Saeidi-Mehrvarz, S. & Zarrei, M. (2006) Pollen morphology of some species of the genus <em>Veronica</em> (Scrophulariaceae) in Iran. <em>Wulfenia </em>13: 1–9.</p>
<p>Sánchez Agudo, J.Á., Rico, E., Sánchez Sánchez, J. & Martínez-Ortega, M.M. (2009) Pollen morphology in the genus <em>Veronica</em> L. (Plantaginaceae) and its systematic significance<em>. Grana </em>48: 239–257. https://doi.org/10.1080/00173130903364723</p>
<p>SPSS (2016) IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 24.0. IBM Corp., Armonk.</p>
<p>Thiers, B. (2020 [continuously updated]) Index Herbariorum: a global directory of public herbaria and associated staff. New York Botanical Garden’s Virtual Herbarium. Published on the Internet: http://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/ih (accessed 27 February 2020)</p>
<p>Varghese, T.M. (1968) Studies in the family Scrophulariaceae-II Pollen morphology. <em>Journal of Palynology </em>4: 91–97.</p>
<p>WFO (2020 [continuously updated]) World Flora Online. Published on the Internet: http://www.worldfloraonline.org (accessed 27 February 2020)</p>
<p>Wodehouse, R.P. (1935) <em>Pollen grains</em>. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 574 pp.</p>
<p>Yaylacı, Ö.K., Sezer, O., Özgişi, K., Öztürk, D., Erkara, İ.P., Koyuncu, O. & Ocak, A. (2018) A new <em>Veronica</em> (Plantaginaceae) species from central Anatolia, Turkey. <em>Phytotaxa </em>362: 55–67. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.362.1.4</p>