Palynology of<i>shorea robusta</i>(dipterocarpaceae) in relation to pollen production and dispersai

Abstract

Abstract Pollen grains of Shorea robusta Gaertn. (Dipterocarpaceae) were examined with light and scanning electron microscope. The pollen grains are tricolpate with reticulate sculpture with some of the muri discontinuous, giving a canaliculate appearance. The relation between pollen production and dispersal of Shorea robusta reveals that the huge numbers of pollen grains produced is associated with entomophily. The pollen grains have a poor dispersion power as indicated by substantial decline in percentage away from source trees. An extremely low percentage of sal (Shorea robusta) pollen deposited in ground soil within and outside and forest despite the high pollen production which may be attributed to microbial as well as chemical degradation. This information can be utilized for the precise evaluation of pollen diagram in terms of past vegetation and climate from tropical deciduous forests in the Indian sub-continent.