Spore morphology. descriptions of the genera (Acrophorys-Xiphopteris). Ultrastructural aspects of sporoderm formation in pteridophytes. The fine structure of some pteridophyte spores before and during germination.

This open access book offers a fully illustrated compendium of glossary terms and basic principles in the field of palynology, making it an indispensable tool for all palynologists. It is a revised and extended edition of “Pollen Terminology. An illustrated handbook,” published in 2009. This second edition, titled “Illustrated Pollen Terminology” shares additional insights into new and stunning aspects of palynology. In this context, the general chapters have been critically revised, expanded and restructured. The chapter “Misinterpretations in Palynology” has been extended with new research data and additional ambiguous terms, e.g., polyads vs. massulae; the chapter “Methods in Palynology” has been extensively enhanced with illustrated protocols showing the majority of the methods and techniques used when studying recent and fossil pollen with LM, SEM and TEM. Moreover, additional information about the description and publication of pollen data is provided in the chapter “How to Describe and Illustrate Pollen Grains.” Various other parts of the general chapters have now been updated and/or extended with more comprehensive textual passages and new illustrations. The chapter “Illustrated Pollen Terms” now features new and more appropriate examples of each term, including additional LM micrographs. Where necessary, the entries for selected pollen terms have been refined by rewording or adding definitions, illustrations, and new micrographs. Lastly, new terms are included, such as “suprasculpture” and the prefix “nano-“ for ornamentation features. The chapter “Illustrated Pollen Terms” is the main part of this book and comprises more than 300 widely used terms illustrated with over 1,000 high-quality images. It provides a detailed survey of the manifold ornamentation and structures of pollen, and offers essential insights into their stunning beauty.

The field of plant taxonomy has transformed rapidly over the past fifteen years, especially with regard to improvements in cladistic analysis and the use of new molecular data. The second edition of this popular resource reflects these far-reaching and dramatic developments with more than 3,000 new references and many new figures. Synthesizing current research and trends, Plant Taxonomy now provides the most up-to-date overview in relation to monographic, biodiversity, and evolutionary studies, and continues to be an essential resource for students and scholars. This text is divided into two parts: Part 1 explains the principles of taxonomy, including the importance of systematics, characters, concepts of categories, and different approaches to biological classification. Part 2 outlines the different types of data used in plant taxonomic studies with suggestions on their efficacy and modes of presentation and evaluation. This section also lists the equipment and financial resources required for gathering each type of data. References throughout the book illuminate the historical development of taxonomic terminology and philosophy while citations offer further study. Plant Taxonomy is also a personal story of what it means to be a practicing taxonomist and to view these activities within a meaningful conceptual framework. Tod F. Stuessy recalls the progression of his own work and shares his belief that the most creative taxonomy is done by those who have a strong conceptual grasp of their own research.

It has long been the custom among those making pollen surveys to expose microscope slides coated with a suitable adhesive and examine them for the pollen grains caught. The counts of the various species are tabulated each day and at the end of the season drawn into a graph or pollen spectrum, as it is called , which gives a clear picture of the relative amounts of the different kinds of pollen which are floating in the air from day to day throughout the growing season If done in the north temperate zone such a spectrum will show the pollen of the early flowering trees, at first a trickle, as the junipers, alders and hazels flower, then a deluge as the birches, oaks and pines and many other trees cast their pollen to the air. This is generally followed by a long stream of grass pollen, fluctuating from week to week as the various species come into flower, reach their zenith, then die out giving way to succeeding species And toward the end of the summer pollens of the late flowering weeds make their appearance, nowadays in most places completely dominated by that of the ragweed. If the record is repeated the following year the spectrum will be nearly the same The succession can be counted on to repeat itself with subtle change from year to year for many years to come, unless some cataclysm changes the surrounding vegetation which contributes to the pollen spectrum, for it is always a faithful representation of the surrounding vegetation.