Pollen Morphology of Embothrieae (Proteaceae)

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Abstract
This is the first of two papers detailing pollen morphology and evolution with the tribe Embothrieae comprising eight genera and ca. 56 spp. The present paper examines pollen of subtribes Buckinghaminae (Buckinghamia; 2 spp., Opislhiolepis; 1 sp.), Stenocarpinae (Strangea; 3 spp.), Stenocarpus (ca. 27 spp.) and Lomatiinae (Lomatia; ca. 12 spp.) in the light microscope and scanning and transmission electron microscopes. Pollen is medium-sized, oblate, foveolate to microreticulate to reticulate, and predominantly columellate with a complex modified postvestibulate aperture morphology. Pollen data indicate ties between Lomatia and Stenocarpus on the one hand and Stenocarpus and Strangea on the other. Though Buckinghamia and Opislhiolepis have been placed in the same subtribe, the unique combination of pollen features in each suggests only a remote relationship to each other as well as to remaining Embothrieae. Comparisons to the remaining genera of Embothriae (Embothrium, Oreocallis, Telopea) and overall analysis of pollen evolution within the tribe are detailed in the subsequent paper.