[Study on morphological characteristics of pollen grains of Pinellia ternata in different populations]

To study the genetic diversity of pollen grains morphologies of Pinellia ternata in different populations and supply palynological evidences for further research.

Pollen exine ultrastructure were compared for 18 populations growing under in the same environment by means of scanning electron microscope(SEM).

Big difference was found in pollen size among populations of P. ternata: the mean value of seventeen populations of P. ternata with bulbils was 17.42 microm x 14.86 microm, the biggest of populations originated from Jangyan city is 20.43 micromx 18.16 microm, but the least originated from Peixian County is only 15.23 microm x 12.82 microm; the size of populations without bulbils originated from Linguo Temple side was only 13.23 microm x 11.98 microm and far less than of all populations with bulbils. The pollen surface of all populations sticks out with spines, varying in size and density, the base and top part of spinules was different among populations. The pollen grains patterns of germination apertures of P. ternata was likely to have colpate cover.