COMPARATIVE POLLEN MORPHOLOGY OF SELECTED SPECIES OF FABACEAE IN CHIKKAMAGALURU REGION OF KARNATAKA-STATE, INDIA

The Fabaceae is one of the families of flowering plants, also called Leguminosae or bean and pea family. It is the third largest family of angiosperms after Orchidaceae (orchids) and Asteraceae (sunflower). The family Fabaceae consists of three subfamilies and about 18000 species widely distributed throughout the world. The present aim of the investigation is to study the ''comparative pollen morphology of selected species of Fabaceae in Chikkamagaluru region of Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka-State, India. Fresh polliniferous material was collected from twelve fabaceae species. The pollen morphology types studied following acetolysis method. Then observed under compound microscope and phase contrast microscope to study the structure and size of pollen grain. In the present investigation, the pollen morphology of twelve plant species from fabaceae family has been identified and studied viz Samanea saman, Acacia arabica, Calliandra haematocephala, Mimosa pudica, Crotolaria pallida, Robinia hispida, Clitorea ternatea, Tephrosia purpuria, Cassia curiculata, Cassia tora, Caesalpinia sappan and Caesalpinia pulcherrima. Pollen morphology study reveals Mimosoideae possesses polyad type pollen, polyads forms cells, these cells are varied in number from species to species and their shape forms sub globular to indefinite. Mimosoideae species are totally different from Papilionoideae and caesalpinioideae. They may easily recognise by the polyad type, but in case of Mimosa pudica possess 4-cells forms tetrads. Papilionoideae species like Robinia hispida, Crotolaria pallida, Clitorea ternasia and Tephrosia purpuria. are likely similar with reticulate ornamentation and pores are forms at the three corners of the pollen grains. Papilionoideae species are comparatively similar to Caesalpinioidae species, when only in polar view. The pollen grains are prolate- spheroidal and oblate. Caesalpinioidae species are Cassia auriculata, Cassia tora, Caesalpinia sappan and Caesalpinia pulcherrima shows generic variation in the pollen morphology. Pollen grains of Cassia species are similar in appearance, tricolporate, isopolar, three pores are forms at the corners, and this character is similar to Papilionoideae species. The Caesalpinia species have greater variation in equatorial view shows ridges and furrows. Pollen grains are varies in ornamentation. Exine of investigated species of Caesalpinioideae is very thick. Members belong to family Mimosoidae have polyad type pollen. In Caesalpinioidae it is monad tricolporate. Papilionoidae species are spheroidal triangular with convex surface. This variation among the fabaceae species help for the taxanomic assessment of the groups of plants. This Palynological research interacts with a wide diversity of scientific disciplines, providing data that can be used in species identification.