Pollen morphology in <i>saccharum</i> l. (poaceae) — wild and cultivated sugar cane species: With one figure and one table

Abstract

Abstract Pollen morphological studies in all the four species of the sugar cane genus Saccharum , comprising two cultivated ( S. officinarum and S. sinense ) and two wild species ( S. robustum and S. spontaneum ), using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, have shown distinguishing exine surface patterns of taxonomic importance. S. officinarum and its supposed wild relative S. robustum have larger grains with wider size ranges as compared to the other two species. The two wild species which are considered to be closer, have insular exine surfaces.