Palynology of the Cape's top ten richest families and its taxonomic implications

Principal pollen characters, of the Cape floristic Regions ten richest families, which are phylogenetically useful at higher taxonomic levels (including aperture type, exine structure, pollen-unit, polarity, symmetry, shape), and their evolutionary trends are examined. Monocotyledons differ from eu-dicotyledons (and eu-dicots from basal-dicots) in their aperture number and form, and exine structure and are discussed in relation to their pollination syndrome aswell as their evolutionary trends. We also discuss the possibilities of creating a taxonomic key at species level, if not only for use at the vegetation-type scale for paleobotanists aswell as honey farmers.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Biological Sciences

Year dc:date.issued

2011

Author dc:creator

• Ingram, Steven

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/23943

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/23943