| Abstract: | The present paper deals with the pollen morphology of 103 species belonging to sixgenera-Castanea, Castanopsis, Lithocarpus, Quercus, Fagus and Trigonobalanus in threesubfamilies-Castaneoideae, Quercoideae and Fagoideae. All pollen grains were examinedunder light microscope and scanning electron microscope, and those of some species were ex-amined under transmission electron microscope. The results may be summarised as follows:1. Pollen morphology of Fagaceae, seems to support division of the family into threesubfamilies. Fagoideae, Castaneoideae and Quercoideae.2. Four types of pollen grains are recognized in Fagaceae:1) Fagus-type (representative genus: Fagus): pollen granis are oblate-sphaeroidal,(31.5-39.9) x (35.7 46.2) μm in size, 3(-4)-colporate, peritreme or goniotreme, granulate-ornate under LM., granulate or verrucate under SEM.2) Trigonobalanus-type (T. doichangensis): pollen grains are suboblate-sphaeroidal,(23.1-29.4) ×(25.2-29.4) μm in size, 3-colporate, goniotreme, obscurely granulate-ornateunder LM, densely granulate or verrucate under SEM.3) Quercus-type (Quercus): pollen grains are subspheroidal-subprolate, (21-44.3)× (16.8-39.9) μm in size. 3-colporoidate (-3-colpate), peritreme, crassgranulate or finely-gra-nulate under LM, tuberculate verrucate or spinate under SEM.4) Castanea-type (including Castanea, Castanopsis, Lithocarpus): Pollen grains areprolate-supraprolate, (14.7-23.1)×(10.5-16.8)μm in size; 3-colporate, peritreme, obscu-rely ornate or subpsilate, under LM, rugulose, striate-rugulate or crass-striate under SEM.3. Pollen grains of Cyclobalanopsis age very similar to those of Quercus, and there-fore we support the treatment of Cyclobalanopsis as a subgenus of Quercus.4. On the basis of shape, type of aperture and exine structure, pollen of Trigonobalanusis distinguishable from those of the other genera in Fagaceae and it may be a new type of Fagaceae;5. On the basis of pollen morphology, morphological characters and geological stratification a scheme of phylogeny of Fagaceae is here presented. |
