Palyno-anatomical microscopic characterization of selected species of Boraginaceae and Fabaceae

Palyno-anatomical characterization of some selected species of Boraginaceae and Fabaceae using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was conducted. Six species of them belongs to four genera of family Boraginaceae and other six species belongs to four genera of Fabaceae. The current study aimed to investigate palyno-anatomical features for correct identification and taxonomic significance. Pollen grains were acetolyzed and observed both qualitatively and quantitatively through light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Statistical data was analyzed through cluster analysis which categorized plants into clusters. Principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out to illustrate morphological variation among selected plant species. Studied plant species showed variation in shape, size, aperture type, exine ornamentation of pollen, size and shape of epidermal cells, types of stomata, guard cells, subsidiary cells and trichome types. Exine thickness was recorded maximum 2.30 ± 0.1 μm in Lablab purpureus and minimum 1.05 ± 0.2 in Gastrocotyle hispida. PCA summarized 73.78% of accumulative variance. Trichome index was observed highest 62% on the adaxial surface of Heliotropium europaeum and lowest 21% on adaxial surface of L. purpureus. These findings reinforce the importance of palyno-anatomical features in the characterization and identification of taxa. It was concluded that description of palyno-anatomical characteristics presented in this study, highly contribute to our knowledge for correct identification of plant species.