Pollen Morphology of the Shrubby Iridaceae Nivenia, Klattia, and Witsenia

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Abstract
Nivenia, Klattia, and Witsenia, a monophyletic assemblage of 13 species of the southwestern Cape, South Africa, have pollen grains with sculpturing similar to the basic type for Iridaceae (and for the monocots). The nearly spherical grains have a broad sulcus and reticulate to microreticulate exine. The supratectal gemmae, found only in Witsenia, are unique in Iridaceae. In Nivenia species the walls of the reticulum are lightly sculptured, sometimes laterally verrucate or micropapillate, the degree of sculpturing varying with the species. The pollen grains differ in size for all the species examined, and in four of the five heterostylous species of Nivenia there are statistically significant size differences between the long- and short-styled morphs.

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