This project aims to gain more insight in the relationships
between families of the Dioscoreales and in the evolution of
palynological characters. This study of the Dioscoreales in
collaboration with the RBG Kew, consists of three parts:
- A morphological survey of pollen and orbicules in 150 species
of all genera of the Dioscoreales and related unassigned
families.
- Ultrastructural observations of pollen, orbicules and tapetum
in 15 species.
- Ontogeny of pollen, orbicules and tapetum of 5 species,
focusing on aperture development, pollen wall development
and microsporogenesis.
All data will be integrated into combined cladistic analyses.