Pollen patterns and morphological variability unraveling cyperaceae diversity through palynological traits

This study on pollen patterns and morphotypes variations in selected Cyperaceae species offers valuable understanding into the evolutionary linkages and floral diversity within this plant family, helping to improve their taxonomic classifications. Pollen of 23 species of Cyperaceae collected from different areas of Pakistan were examined to evaluate the palynological data under light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Microscopic detailed pollen structures of species; Cyperus rotundus, Cyperus alternifolius (flabelliformis), Cyperus niveus, Bolboschoenus glaucus, Scirpus maritimus (affinis), Fimbristylis bisumbellata, Cyperus longus, Cyperus laevigatus, Cyperus difformis, Carex flacca, Schoenoplectus litoralis, Cyperus esculentus, Cyperus compressus, Cyperus pygmaeus, Fuirena pubescens, Cyperus haspan, Cyperus nutans, Schoenoplectus lacustris, Kylinga brevifolia, Cyperus flavescens, Cyperus iria, Cyperus exaltatus and Cyperus malaccensis were observed. Pollen grains of Cyperaceae were mostly large and there are also medium and small sized grains. Pollen grains of Cyperaceae are semi-angular, sub-angular and angular in shapes in polar view and prolate, pear shaped, spheroidal and prolate-spheroidal in equatorial view. Pollen apertures were mostly sunken, and few raised. Colpi were not visible under light microscopy except in few species. Heteropolar, polar, sub- isopolar and cryptopolar type of pollen were visualized. Apertures of Cyperaceae species were colpate, dicolpate, tricolpate, colporate, dicolporate, porate and tetraporate. Pollen sculpturing was scabrate and granulate and few species also showing foveolate patterns. Psilate verrucate, scabrate and gemmate exine ornamentation were examined. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis was performed to compare, illustrate, and characterize Cyperaceous species quantitative pollen data to study the variance correlation. This study reveals that Cyperaceae palyno-morphological micromorphology are closely related providing in-depth insights into their phylogenetic relationship linked to ecological adaptations provide basis for their accurate taxonomic identification.