Pollen morphology in two Urgineoid species of Drimia (Baker) Jessop

Pollen grains of eight accessions of Urginea indica (Roxb) Kunth. and two accessions of Urgineawightii (Wight) Lakshmin. were examined by Light microscopy and Scanning electron microscopy. Detailed pollen morphological characters are given for these accessions. Our investigation revealed several variations in pollen size, exine ornamentation among the accessions of U. indica (Roxb) Kunth. and U. wightii (Wight) Lakshmin. The study confirmed that the exine sculpting provides valuable characters for separating the species of Urginea. Reticulate ornamentation of the exine was observed in the accessions of U. indica complex and perforated exineornamentation in accessions of U. wightii complex. Minor variations with regard to measurements of dimensions in size, shape and ornamentation were also observed in accessions of U. indica and U. wightii . Pollen fertility analysis revealed highest percentage fertility in Sitampoondi accession of U. indica complex and Gulbargha accession of U. wightii complex but in most of the accessions seed setting is not observed in natural conditions. Pollen germination studies revealed highest germination rate in Brew Baker’s and Kwack medium supplemented with 25% sucrose concentration for Urginea pollen