Sprecher
Beschreibung
The morphological diversity of pollen grains can provide important information about several aspects of plant science. The pollen morphological database remains scarce in this eastern and western Himalayan province of the Indian biogeographic zone, despite the rich diversity of angiosperms. The detailed pollen morphometry of various plant taxa from the western and eastern Himalayan region will enhance the palynological database of the Indian Himalaya. Light compound microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to identify and characterize pollen grains. Based on the qualitative and quantitative morphological data of 132 angiosperm species from 58 families, statistical analyses (principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and correlation analysis) were performed, explaining the phylogenetic relationships among these families. In addition to their interrelationships, these morphological data also provide insights into the primary pollination modes (entomophily or anemophily) and the evolutionary trends of pollen grains in these families. Besides, pollen morphological data for endemic angiosperm species, along with data from other families, could provide preliminary insights into vegetation and palynology in the eastern and western Himalayan landscape of Indian subcontinent.