POLLEN MORPHOLOGY OF EIGHT TAXA OF TEPHROSIA (FABACEAE) OF THE INDIAN THAR DESERT.

The present study was carried out to investigate the pollen morphology of eight taxa of Tephrosia, namely T. falciformis. T. purpurea subsp. leptostachya, T. purpurea subsp. purpurea, T. subtriflora, T. strigosa, T. uniflora subsp. petrosa, T. villosa and T. wallichii occurring in Indian Thar desert. Safranin-stained and acetolysed pollen grains were used to describe their morphology. The pollen characters investigated include pollen size, shape, polarity, symmetry, aperture type and exine ornamentation. The pollen grains are monads, small (10-25 µm) to medium (25-50 µm), isopolar and radially symmetrical; they are smallest in T. strigosa and biggest in T. purpurea subsp. leptostachya. The exine ornamentation varies from reticulate, micro-reticulate, rugulate-reticulate and foveolate to foveolate-reticulate. A taxonomic key is provided based-on pollen to discriminate Tephrosia taxa investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]