Investigation of pollen morphology of some AstragalusL. species distributed in Turkey

In this study, the morphological characteristics of the pollen of 14 species of the genus Astragalus L. (Fabeacea) distributed in Turkey were examined, defined and compared under light (LM) and scanning electron (SEM) microscopes. Pollens of the studied taxa are radial symmetrical and isopolar. Pollen shape was determined as prolate, subprolate, prolate-spheroidal, oblate-spheroidal or suboblate. The colpus are elongated and acute at the ends. The shape of the pores is oblate, suboblate or spheroidal. Ornamentation may show differences around the polar region, equatorial region and aperture surround. According to the differences in the polar and equatorial regions, 4 types of ornamentation were determined in the studied species; Type 1: Perforate in the polar and equatorial region, Type 2: Perforate in the polar region, microreticulate in the equatorial region, Type 3: Microreticulate in the polar and equatorial region, Type 4: psilate-perforate in the polar region, microreticulate in the equatorial region. In the differentiation of studied taxa; pollen size, shape and exine ornamentations were found to be important characters. KEYWORDS: Kastamonu, Pollen, Astragalus, light microscope, electron microscope