Pollen studies in Anthurium andreanum Lin.

Abstract

Floral biology and pollen characters of five varieties of Anthurium andreanum Lin. have been studied. It was observed that the species is protogynous. Anthesis occurred during early morning hours. The plant produces a large number of pollen grains per anther which are more or less uniform in size, round in shape with a single germ pore. Only a small percentage of pollen grains is fertile which reflects the hybrid nature of the species. Determination of pollen fertility by in vitro pollen germination method is found to be more accurate than by acetocarmine staining