The intraspecific diversity of Ixiolirion tataricum based on pollen micromorphology

The current taxonomic classification recognizes only one accepted species within the genus Ixiolirion in Iran (Ixiolirion tataricum). During our fieldwork in western Iran, six populations of this taxon were investigated based on pollen micromorphology. In this way, all populations were examined by Light Microscopy (LM), and two populations were determined with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results showed that quantitative characters such as polar and equatorial axis (minimum, maximum, average, and standard deviation), P/E ratio, lumina diameter measurement (the minimum and maximum diameter), muri size measurement (the minimum and maximum thickness), and the number of lumina on 5 μm2 area of exine) were different in the studied populations. Analysis of the quantitative pollen data obtained by light microscopy revealed diversity in the most studied populations in the pollen dendrogram. Pollen qualitative characters (pollen type, exine ornamentation in the equatorial surface from pollen grain, and sulcus margin exine ornamentation), were similar except for pollen shape and sulcus membrane ornamentation. The findings of the present research showed intraspecific diversity in I. tataricum based on pollen micromorphology.