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Structural basis of harmomegathy: evidence from Boraginaceae pollen

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Abstract

Upon release from the anther, pollen grains can be exposed to dry environment and dehydrate. To survive in dry conditions, the pollen wall possesses the ability to fold itself due to water loss-harmomegathic mechanism. Apertures seem to function as the primary elements of harmomegathy as they are more elastic than the remainder of the pollen wall. Contribution of other sporoderm structures, surface features, and pseudocolpi in harmomegathy are usually not considered in palynological studies. The nature of pseudocolpi has not been properly understood until now, partly because of common use of acetolysis method as a standard procedure. Different structures involved in the harmomegathy mechanism were studied in Cryptantha celosioides, Cryptantha coryi, Heliotropium europaeum, Myosotis palustris, Rindera bungei, and Rindera tetraspis. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study harmomegathy in hydrated and dehydrated pollen grains. In addition, transmission electron microscopy was used to elucidate the ultrastructural basis of pseudocolpi and other harmomegathic structures with special attention to intine structure. Our data reveal that additional flexibility of the pollen wall in Boraginaceae is provided by pseudocolpi, rugulate surface, tectate–columellate ultrastructure, and a transverse groove. Curious triangular polar poroid areas are described in M. palustris.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to electron microscopy laboratory of Moscow State University. The manuscript was improved through helpful comments from reviewers. The study was supported by RFBR, research project No 13-04-00624 A.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Higher Plants, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1(12), 119991, Moscow, Russia

    Olga A. Volkova, Elena E. Severova & Svetlana V. Polevova

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  1. Olga A. Volkova
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  2. Elena E. Severova
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  3. Svetlana V. Polevova
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Correspondence to Elena E. Severova or Svetlana V. Polevova.

Appendix

Appendix

Cryptantha celosioides (Eastw.) Payson (MHA) (1) Fremont Co. T 40 N R106W S14, SE EDGE of Trail Lake at inlet of torrey creek, CA 8.2 air Mi SSE of Dubois, CA 6.9 MI S ON trail lake road. Edge of meadow North of Greek. 27.07.1985. Elev. 7,400 ft. June Haines 5169 with georgia haines. Rocky mountain herbarium (RM). (2) Two miles NE of Omak, Okanogan Co. Rare on open rocky Sagebrush slopes at edge of valley; flowers white. No 16141. Col. J. A. Calder, J. A. Parmelee, R. L. Taylor. 8.05.1956. Cryptantha coryi I.M. Johnst. (MHA) Val Verde Co.: About ten miles east of Langtry Corolla white, turning orange with age. D. S. Correl and Helen B. Correl. No 30818. 3.04.1965. Heliotropium europaeum L. (MW) Tauricheskaya province, Berdyansk county, Girsovka village, Plowing-salt marshes. 18.07.1998. D. Duz. Myosotis palustris (L.) L. Botanical Garden of the Komarov Botanical Institute. 07.2010. Rindera bungei Gürke (MHA) USSR. Turkmenistan. Ashhabatskaya area. Central Kopetdag, Gopal-Dag, on the rocky substrate summit. 2,886 m above sea level. Coll. and Def. V. V. Nikitin. 06.25.1958. Rindera tetraspis Pall. (MHA) Uzbekistan, western spur of Zeravshanskogo ridge, env. per. Tyahtakaracha. Altitude of about 1,700 m, rocky slope. 27.04.1958. Col. A. K. Skvortsov, Def. N. Y. Stepanova. 10.06.2010.

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Volkova, O.A., Severova, E.E. & Polevova, S.V. Structural basis of harmomegathy: evidence from Boraginaceae pollen. Plant Syst Evol 299, 1769–1779 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-013-0832-8

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