Pollen and seed micromorphology of some Cuscuta L. species in Khorassan provinces

Cuscuta L. (Convolvulaceae) species, as holoparasitic flowering plants, are weeds of the wild, horticultural and agricultural crop plants and have a vast distribution in the world. Pollen morphology of six species and seed morphology of five species out of nine taxa distributed in Khorassan provinces was investigated by using the light and scanning electron microscopy, in order to determine the significance of pollen and seed features as taxonomic characters. Results revealed that the pollen grains of Cuscuta are mostly oblate, zonocolpate and tricolpate. The largest pollen grain belongs to C. epithymum with 48.18 µm diameter in equatorial view and 44.82 µm in polar view. The smallest pollen grain belongs to Cuscuta campestris, with 30.95 µm diameter in equatorial view and 26.97 µm in polar view. Also, three distinct ektexine types are recognized including echinate, finely reticulate, and coarsely reticulate. Seed morphological study showed that seed shape, anticlinal and periclinal cell walls are the most important characters to separate the taxa. The results indicate that ultra-structural characters of pollen grains and seeds are useful for delimitation of Cuscuta species.