POLLEN FLORA OF PAKISTAN-LI-CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Pollen morphology of 74 species belonging to 23 genera of the family Caryophyllaceae from Pakistan has been examined by light and scanning electron microscope. Pollen grains are usually radially symmetrical, apolar rarely isopolar, pantoporate rarely 3-10 colpate, spheroidal to prolate-spheroidal to sub-prolate occasionally prolate. Sexine thicker or thinner than nexine. Tectum spinulose-punctuate or scabrate-punctate often reticulate or reticulate-scabrate. On the basis of apertural type three distinct pollen types viz., Silene indica-type, Spergula arvensis-type and Stellaria media-type are recognized