The identification of pollen from Maltese wild and cultivated plant spices

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate pollen grains from cultivated and wild plants from around the Maltase Islands. For this study the pollen collected will be stored in a database dedicated to pollen which can be found in the Maltese Islands. This database could be helpful to other researchers and identities in their studies and research. Finally, different pollen grains in shape, size and aperture type were examined and also a comparison was made with the observations made by other researchers. The pollen was collected from plants from around Malta and Gozo. The anthers of the flowers were cut and collected in vials with ethanol that resulted in a suspension containing pollen. From this suspension, few drops were placed on a microscope slide and it was left until the ethanol was evaporated. Two to three drops of glycerine jelly with basic fuchsin mixed in it (which is the staining agent), were placed also on the slide and a cover slip was placed on them. Finally, when the slide was ready, the sample was observed under a compound microscope with x200 magnification, for quantitative observations, and with x400 magnification, for qualitative observations. Then microphotographs were taken for each pollen type which, were then used as an aid in observations. The results of this study were that each pollen had a different size, for example the smallest pollen observed was that of the Diplotaxis erucoides (11 µm), and the biggest was that of Lavatera arborea (119µm). Also, the shape of the pollen grains observed was from spheroidal, as in Lavatera arborea, to an ovulate shape, as in Vicia faba major, or even wedge shape, as in Ma/us domestica. Another interesting result was the type of sculpturing observed on the surface of the pollen grains, especially the spines present on the Matricaria chamomil/a, Calendula suffruticosa and the Lavatera arborea. The principle conclusion was that pollen grains from plants in the same families had many characteristics which could be found also in other plants of that same family. One can conclude that pollen morphological characteristics can be found in species of plants from the same families and by these characteristics a plant's family can be identified simply by observation its pollen grain.