Palynological studies on some Onobrychis mill. (Fabaceae) species

In this study, the pollen morphology of 14 taxa of the genus Onobrychis Mill. (Onobrychis arenaria (Kit.) DC. subsp. arenaria, O. inermis Steven, O. petraea (M.Bieb.ex Willd.) Fisch., O. alba (Waldst. & Kit.) Desv. subsp. laconica (Boiss.) Hayek, O. megataphros Boiss., O. oxyodonta Boiss., O. cyri Grossh., O. biebersteinii Širj., O. vassilczenkoi Grossh., O. grandis Lipsky, O. hypargyrea Boiss., O. kemulariae Chinth., O. caput-galli (L.) Lam., O. viciifolia Scop.) grown in the experimental field were examined by light microscopy (LM). Pollen viability tests were also performed on 20 selected genotypes of O. viciifolia. In pollen morphology examination, slides were prepared according to the glycerin-jelly method of Wodehouse. Potassium Iodide method was used in the analysis of pollen viability. Pollen grains were tricolpate, radially symmetrical and isopolar in all taxa. Pollen shape was prolate and medium in size. The colpus was in the form of a long narrow slit. Exine ornamentation was reticulate. In the pollen viability tests, it was determined that the viability rate was between 32,6% and 98,7%. Keywords: Onobrychis, sainfoin, pollen, pollen viability