AUTHOR=Yuan Bin , Yuan Jing-Kun , Huang Cheng-Gong , Lian Jia-Rui , Li Yi-Huan , Fan Xiao-Ming , Yuan De-Yi 

TITLE=Pseudopollen in Camellia oleifera and its implications for pollination ecology and taxonomy

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.1032187

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2022.1032187

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=Background and Aims: In 1997, Tsou described the special differentiation of the connective tissues of some species of Theaceae to produce single-celled powders with unique patterns called pseudopollen. The purpose of this study was to investigate the morphological structure of the pseudopollen of Camellia oleifera (Theaceae). Methods: Scanning electron microscopy, paraffin section, light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, histochemistry. Key Results: C. oleifera pseudopollen was similar to normal pollen in macroscopic morphology but different microscopically. The normal pollen was starch-rich and yellow, with grid ornamentals on the outer wall. In contrast, the pseudopollen was a white powder, single-celled and rich in protein, with parallel unbranched ridge lines on the outer wall, and originated from the parenchyma of the connective tissues. There are also differences in the micro-characteristics of normal and pseudopollen among different species in Camellia. Conclusion: There are great differences in morphological structure between C. oleifera and other species in Camellia normal pollen and pseudopollen; this may indicate that the pseudopollen can be used as a taxonomic basis for Camellia, and it can be a pollination strategy.