Pollen
Pollens are propagules from vascular plants and spores are the propagules from the nonvascular plants. Spores have a shell (exine)
consisting of one layer, though a loose outer sack, the perine, may be present (see fern spores for an example).
Pollens have an exine typically of two or more layers. Spores are not optically active, that is
when they are viewed between crossed polarizing filters they disappear. Pollens are often optically active or contain
starch grains that are optically active. These pollens are visible when viewed between crossed polarizing filters. As
pollen grains age they loose the optical activity and the starch grains dissipate into the environment. These starch grains
carry the allergen for that pollen with them. Most standard guides to pollen identification are based on "acetolyzed" grains,
chemicaly processed pollen that removes the contents of the grain and most of the optical activity of the grain. It also
swells the grain. This is a necessary practice in the analysis of fossil grains but for environmental analysis the fresh
pollen grain is more characteristic. Most of the pollen grains shown here are fresh. They are from honeybee frass (fecal
pellet), regional honey samples, or from recent environmental samples. An abridged morphological key is provided here (see
References at end). - Click here
to link to a good website containing a glossary of morphlogical terms used to describe pollens and spores.
Click here
to link to another good website for pollen images by species and by size.
Vesiculate Pollens
Vesiculate Pollens: Pollens with air sacks to increase bouyancy. The sacks are typically two
per grain at the bottom of the grain, but may also be doughnut shaped under the grain.
Vesiculate pollens are found in the Abies (Fir), Picea (Spruce), Pinus (Pine), Podocarpus (Podocarpus), and Tsuga (Hemlock).
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Trilete or Trichotomocolpate
Trilete or Trichotomocolpate: Pollens with three furrows joined at one pole.
Trilete (Trichotomocolpate) pollens are found in the Cocos (Coconut), Sphagnum (Peat Moss), Pteridophyta (Fern), and Lycopodium (Clubmoss).
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Inaperturate
Inaperturate Pollens: Pollens without air sacks that don't have any visible openings in the exine.
Inaperturate pollens are found in the Cupressaceae (Cedar), Equisetum (Horsetails), Larix (Tamarack), Pseudotsuga (Douglas Fir)), and
Salicaceae (Cottonwood and Aspen).
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Polyplicate
Polyplicate: Pollens with numberous sharp meridional ridges.
Monolete
Monolete: Kidney-shaped fern spores with one furrow and without an associated pore or transverse furrow.
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Monocolpate
Monocolpate: Pollens with one furrow and without an associated pore or transverse furrow.
Monocolpate pollens are found in the Liliaceae (Lily Family) primarily.
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Dicolpate: Pollens with two furrows and without associated pores or transverse furrows.
Tricolpate
Tricolpate: Pollens with three furrows and without associated pores or transverse furrows.
Polycolpate: Pollens with more than three furrows and without associated pores or transverse furrows.
Stephanocolpate
Stephanocolpate: Pollens as above and all the furrows are oriented meridionally
Pericolpate: Pollens as above but all the furrows are not oriented meridionally
Heterocolpate
Heterocolpate: Pollens with multiple furrows, some with pores.
Syncolpate
Syncolpate: Pollens with fused furrows.
Syncolpate pollens are found in the Primulaceae (Primrose Family), Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus), and Berberidaceae (Barberry and oregon Grape).
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Monoporate
Monoporate: Pollens with one pore and without an associated furrow.
Monoporate pollens are found in the Gramineae (Grasses) primarily but also in the Taxodiaceae (Redwood and Cypress).
Diporate: Pollens with two pores and without associated furrows.
Triporate
Triporate: Pollens with three pores and without associated furrows.
Triporate pollens are very common so they will be sub-divided by surface ornimentation or other Dominant feature. Some species than normally
have triporate pollens may show four pores.
Triporate, Echinate pollens
Triporate, psilate (smooth) pollens
Triporate, with Vetibulum (Pore Cavity) pollens
Triporate, baculate and clavate, them forming a reticulum pollens
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Stephanoporate
Stephanoporate: Pollens with more than three pores and all pores are located equatorially.
Stephanoporate pollens are found in the Campanulaceae (Colorado Bluebells), Corylaceae (Alder),Onagraceae, and in Ulmaceae (Elm).
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Periporate
Periporate: Pollens as above but the pores are not located just equatorially.
Periporate pollens are very common so they will be sub-divided by surface ornimentation or other Dominant feature.
Periporate, psilate (smooth) pollens are found in the Boraginaceae (Lithodora), in the ().
Periporate, scabrate (scab-like) pollens are found in the Plantaginaceae (Plantain) in the ().
Periporate, echinate pollens are found in the Polygonaceae () in the ().
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Tricolporate or Trizonocolporate
Tricolporate: Pollen three furrows, each with a pore.
ECHINATE (Spikes) Trizonocolporate
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RETICULATE (Cavities) Trizonocolporate
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SCABRATE (No distinct surface structure) Trizonocolporate
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Striate (Roughly Parallel Elongation) Trizonocolporate
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Polycolporate: Pollen with more than three furrow, each with a pore.
Stephanocolporate
Stephanocolporate: Pollens as above and all the furrows are oriented meridionally
Pericolporate: Pollens as above but all the furrows are not oriented meridionally
Echinolophate (Fenestrate)
Echinolophate (Fenestrate): Pollen with geometrically positioned large openings in the "tectum", some with pores.
Fenestrate pollens are found in the Lactuceae (Dandelion) primarily.
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Polyad
Polyad: Pollen consisting of more than one grain.
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Faegri, Knut and Johs Iversen, TEXTBOOK OF POLLEN ANALYSIS, Hafner Publishing Company, 1964.
Kapp, Ronald O., HOW TO KNOW POLLEN AND SPORES, Wm. C. Brown Company, 1969.
Moore, P.D., J. A. Webb, and M. E. Collinson, POLLEN ANALYSIS, Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1991
Smith, E. Grant, SAMPLING AND IDENTIFYING ALLERGENIC POLLENS AND MOLDS, Blewstone Press, San Antonio, Texas, 1990
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