Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Systematic significance of pollen nucleus number in the genus Saxifraga (Saxifragaceae)

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Plant Systematics and Evolution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Pollen cell number was studied in 124 species of Saxifraga and six species of Micranthes. Binucleate pollen is present in all the six species of Micranthes studied and in 96 species of Saxifraga. Trinucleate pollen occurs in 28 species of Saxifraga and is confined to section Ciliatae subsection Hirculoideae, where it is a putative synapomorphy, and to two species of subsection Serpyllifoliae. Trinucleate pollen does not characterise the whole of section Ciliatae as has been thought. The state has probably evolved at least twice, and possibly three times, in the genus. One new nomenclatural combination is made in Micranthes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

We’re sorry, something doesn't seem to be working properly.

Please try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, please contact support so we can address the problem.

References

  • Brewbaker JL (1967) Distribution and phylogenetic significance of binucleate and trinucleate pollen grains in angiosperms. Am J Bot 54:1069–1083

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coleman AW, Goff LJ (1985) Applications of fluorochromes to pollen biology, 1. Mithramycin and 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (dapi) as vital stains and for quantitation of nuclear-DNA. Stain Technology 60(3):145–154

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Engler HGA, Irmscher E (1916/1919) Saxifragaceae: Saxifraga. In: Das Pflanzenreich, vol 69 (IV. 117). Wilhelm Engelmann, Leipzig, pp 449–709

  • Gornall RJ (1987) An outline of a revised classification of Saxifraga L. Bot J Linn Soc 95(4):273–292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grayum MH (1986) Phylogenetic implications of pollen nuclear number in the Araceae. Plant Syst Evol 151(3–4):145–161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haught JE (2007) The evolution of tricellular pollen and conservation of male germ cell-specific regulator duo pollen 1. PhD thesis, University of Leicester, Leicester

  • Kaplan K (1981) Embryologische, Pollen - und Samenmorphologische Untersuchungen zur Systematik von Saxifraga (Saxifragaceae). Bibl Bot 134:1–56, Tafel 1–26

  • Knox RB (1984) The pollen grain. In: Johri BM (ed) Embryology of angiosperms. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany, pp 197–271

    Google Scholar 

  • Lora J, Herrero M, Hormaza JI (2009) The coexistence of bicellular and tricellular pollen in Annona cherimola (Annonaceae): implications for pollen evolution. Am J Bot 96(4):802–808

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mauritzon J (1933) Studien uber die Embryologie der Familien Crassulaceae und Saxifragaceae. Håkan Ohlssons Buchdruckerei, Lund

    Google Scholar 

  • Pan J-T, Gornall RJ, Ohba H (2001) Saxifraga L. In: Z-Y Wu, PH Raven (eds) Flora of China, vol 8. Science Press; Missouri Botanical Garden Press, Beijing; St. Louis, pp 280–345

  • Poddubnaja-Arnoldi V (1936) Beobachtungen über die Keimung des Pollens einiger Pflanzen auf künstlichem Nährboden. Planta 25:502–529

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rau MA, Sharma VK (1967) [1968]) Early embryogeny in Saxifraga Linn. Phytomorphology 17:252–255

    Google Scholar 

  • Saxena NP (1964) Studies in the family Saxifragaceae I. A contribution to the morphology and embryology of Saxifraga diversifolia Wall. Proc Indian Acad Sci section B 60:38–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Schürhoff PN (1926) Die Zytologie der Blütenpflanzen. Ferdinand Enke Verlag, Stuttgart

    Google Scholar 

  • Soltis DE, Kuzoff RK, Conti E, Gornall R, Ferguson K (1996) matK and rbcL gene sequence data indicate that Saxifraga (Saxifragaceae) is polyphyletic. Am J Bot 83(3):371–382

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soltis DE, Kuzoff RK, Mort ME, Zanis M, Fishbein M, Hufford L, Koontz J, Arroyo MK (2001) Elucidating deep-level phylogenetic relationships in Saxifragaceae using sequences for six chloroplastic and nuclear DNA regions. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 88(4):669–693

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Webb JE (1902) A morphological study of the flower and embryo of Spiraea. Bot Gazette 33:451–460

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Webb DA, Gornall RJ (1989) Saxifrages of Europe. Timber Press, Portland

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster GL, Rupert EA (1973) Phylogenetic significance of pollen nuclear number in the Euphorbiaceae. Evolution 27:524–531

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wunderlich R (1936) Vergleichende Untersuchungen von Pollenkörnern einiger Liliaceen und Amaryllidaceen. Osterreichische botanische Zeitschrift 85:30–55

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang DJ, Chen SY, Gao QB, Duan YZ, Chen SL (2008) Circumscription and phylogeny of Saxifraga sect. Ciliatae: evidence from nrDNA ITS sequences. J Syst Evol 46(5):667–675

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to David Boufford (Harvard University), Georg and Sabine Miehe (University of Marburg), and the curators of BM, E, and LTR for making recently collected specimens available. We thank David Twell, Trude Schwarzacher, John Bailey, Nadia Taimur, and Hoda Khtab for help and advice with the DAPI procedure.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK

    Z.-X. Zhang & R. J. Gornall

Authors
  1. Z.-X. Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. J. Gornall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. J. Gornall.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zhang, ZX., Gornall, R.J. Systematic significance of pollen nucleus number in the genus Saxifraga (Saxifragaceae). Plant Syst Evol 295, 13–22 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-011-0456-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-011-0456-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation