Systematic relevance of pollen morphology in tribe Hylocereeae (Cactaceae)

Hylocereeae is one of the nine tribes in the subfamily Cactoideae (Cactaceae), for which the limits and recognition of genera have been controversial. Essentially, this group comprises epiphytic and hemiepiphytic genera with stems modified as climbing structures. The aim of this paper is to examine pollen attributes in representative species of genera of Hylocereeae, focusing on Selenicereus whose current circumscription comprises Hylocereus and three Weberocereus species, to find whether significant potentially apomorphic and/or autapomorphic systematic characters can be discovered. Utilizing SEM and light microscopy, 25 pollen characters were observed and measured. Tribe Hylocereeae is stenopalynous, with pollen grains isopolar and radially symmetrical monads, mostly tricolpate, except in Kimnachia, Pseudoripsalis and Weberocereus, whose pollen grains are pantocolpate. Seven attributes (five qualitative and two continuous) exhibited useful variation and were coded. The character of brevicolpate pollen grains was shared by Kimnachia ramulosa and Pseudorhipsalis amazonica. Convex quadrangular outline in the polar view was shared by Weberocereus tunilla and S. glaber. The absence of spinules on the exine was shared by S. minutiflorus and S. stenopterus. The largest pollen grain, found in Selenicereus megalanthus, might be correlated with polyploidy. Selenicereus is the taxon with the highest variation in pollen attributes, including species with an exine with or without spinules and variable polar area index and shape (subprolate or oblate-spheroidal).