POLLEN MORPHOLOGY OF SOME FRITILLARIA L. SPECIES (LILIACEAE) FROM IRAN

Pollen grains of 5 taxa from the genus Fritillaria L. in Iran were studied by scanning electron microscopy. Detailed pollen morphological features are given for these taxa. Pollens were monosulcate and ellipsoidal. Sulcus extends from distal to proximal in all studied taxa. Results shows that the sculpturing of the exine, pollen membrane ornamentation and lumina shape provides valuable characters for separating species. Based on these characters, 3 main pollen types were determined with three different exine sculpturing: reticulate, reticulate-perforate and suprareticulate.