Abstract

ORSINI, Giovannina; RINALDI, Milagro  and  VELAZQUEZ, Dilia. Estudio palinológico de los géneros Hyptis y Salvia (Lamiaceae) en el Parque Nacional “El Avila”, Venezuela. Ernstia [online]. 2006, vol.16, n.1, pp.1-30. ISSN 0252-8274.

The pollen morphology of 12 species and 3 varieties of the genera Hyptis and Salvia (Nepetoideae: Lamiaceae) were described as a contribution to the palynological flora of Venezuela and to the systematics of the family. Acetolyzed grains were measured and photographed using a light microscope. Non acetolyzed grains were coated with an Au/Pd film and then analyzed under a scanning electronic microscope (SEM). The pollen of the taxa studied may be grouped into two types allowing separation of the two genera: “type a” with equidistant colpi (Hyptis) and “type b” with non-equidistant colpi (Salvia). All the pollen grains observed are hexacolpate, except for an octocolpate variant in Hyptis vilis. Keys using quantitative and qualitative characters are presented as an aid to identify the different pollen types studied. Additionally, the presence of a distribution pattern of colpi in pollen grains of Salvia is enfatized.

Keywords : Lamiaceae; Nepetoideae; pollen; Coastal Cordillera; Venezuela.