| Abstract: | Pollen morphology of 18 species (32 specimens) representing all three currently recognized sections of the genus Elsholtzia (Elsholtzieae–Lamiaceae) was investigated in detail using light, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy. Elsholtzia pollen grains are small to medium in size (P=20–50 μm, E=16–45 μm), mostly prolate‐spheroidal to prolate, and rarely oblate‐spheroidal to subprolate in shape (P/E=0.95–1.46), hexacolpate (the amb more or less circular or ellipsoid) with granular aperture membranes. Three distinct types of sexine ornamentation are observed in Elsholtzia: perforate, rugulose‐bireticulate, and bireticulate. The bireticulate pattern is the most common, showing a wide range of morphological variation among species. The exine thickness varies from 1.2 to 2.5 μm. Among the present palynological data, the variability observed in sexine ornamentation of Elsholtzia could be of systematic significance. Current infrageneric classification of the genus Elsholtzia is partially congruent with pollen morphological data. |
