Research Article

Pollen Micromorphology of 12 Taxa of Delphinium in Türkiye and Their Taxonomic Importance

Volume: 16 Number: 1 June 30, 2026

Pollen Micromorphology of 12 Taxa of Delphinium in Türkiye and Their Taxonomic Importance

Abstract

Pollen micromorphology of 12 taxa belonging to genus Delphinium L. (Ranunculaceae) species was investigated by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Pollen slides were prepared using the Wodehouse technique. Measurements were based on 30 or more pollen grains per specimen. For scanning electron microscopy studies, dried pollen grains were transferred to aluminium stubs and coated with gold for 3 min in a sputter-coater. The pollen grains of Delphinium taxa are radially symmetric and isopolar. The pollen grains of the taxa are prolate–spheroidal, subprolate with the polar axes 24.51–36.24 μm and the equatorial diameter 22.13–30.43 μm. The pollen grains are tricolpate rarely tetracolpate (D. thrikeana). Colpi were usually long and narrow (Clg: 18.46–28.73 μm; Clt: 5.17–9.31 μm) and granulate. Pollen grains show microechinate, microechinate-perforate, microechinate-verrucate. Exine is subtectate and has a thickness of 0.99–1.58 μm. Ectexine is thicker than endexine. Intine has a thickness of 0.39–0.69 μm. As result of this study, some pollen characteristic as pollen shape, aperture type, and ornamentations are shown to vary within the genus. Especially, pollen surface ornamentation has systematic value to distinguish taxa from each other. Cluster and principal component analyses supported the separation of taxa into three types. Type 1 and Type 2 differed mainly in pollen size and aperture dimensions, while D. saccatum (Type 3) was characterized by thicker exine and intine layers. Taxa formerly classified under Consolida clustered together as Type 2, indicating consistent morphological differentiation within the genus Delphinium. These statistical results support the taxonomic value of quantitative pollen traits.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Science Application and Research Center, University of Yuzuncuyil, Van

Ethical Statement

The authors declare that this study complies with research and publication ethics. This study does not require an ethics committee approval as it does not involve any human or animal subjects, surveys, or clinical data. Furthermore, there is no conflict of interest between the authors.

Thanks

The author thanks Dr. Ihsan Nuri Akkuş (Science Application and Research Center, University of Yuzuncuyil, Van), who is a helper in taking electron photographs of pollen grain surfaces. In addition, this article includes pollen morphology results from PhD thesis of Süleyman AKSU.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Botany (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

June 30, 2026

Submission Date

September 23, 2025

Acceptance Date

June 24, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 16 Number: 1

APA
Başer, B., Aksu, S., Kürşat, M., & Bekmezci, O. (2026). Pollen Micromorphology of 12 Taxa of Delphinium in Türkiye and Their Taxonomic Importance. Bitlis Eren University Journal of Science and Technology, 16(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.17678/beuscitech.1787364
AMA
1.Başer B, Aksu S, Kürşat M, Bekmezci O. Pollen Micromorphology of 12 Taxa of Delphinium in Türkiye and Their Taxonomic Importance. Bitlis Eren University Journal of Science and Technology. 2026;16(1):1-15. doi:10.17678/beuscitech.1787364
Chicago
Başer, Birol, Süleyman Aksu, Murat Kürşat, and Ozan Bekmezci. 2026. “Pollen Micromorphology of 12 Taxa of Delphinium in Türkiye and Their Taxonomic Importance”. Bitlis Eren University Journal of Science and Technology 16 (1): 1-15. https://doi.org/10.17678/beuscitech.1787364.
EndNote
Başer B, Aksu S, Kürşat M, Bekmezci O (June 1, 2026) Pollen Micromorphology of 12 Taxa of Delphinium in Türkiye and Their Taxonomic Importance. Bitlis Eren University Journal of Science and Technology 16 1 1–15.
IEEE
[1]B. Başer, S. Aksu, M. Kürşat, and O. Bekmezci, “Pollen Micromorphology of 12 Taxa of Delphinium in Türkiye and Their Taxonomic Importance”, Bitlis Eren University Journal of Science and Technology, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 1–15, June 2026, doi: 10.17678/beuscitech.1787364.
ISNAD
Başer, Birol - Aksu, Süleyman - Kürşat, Murat - Bekmezci, Ozan. “Pollen Micromorphology of 12 Taxa of Delphinium in Türkiye and Their Taxonomic Importance”. Bitlis Eren University Journal of Science and Technology 16/1 (June 1, 2026): 1-15. https://doi.org/10.17678/beuscitech.1787364.
JAMA
1.Başer B, Aksu S, Kürşat M, Bekmezci O. Pollen Micromorphology of 12 Taxa of Delphinium in Türkiye and Their Taxonomic Importance. Bitlis Eren University Journal of Science and Technology. 2026;16:1–15.
MLA
Başer, Birol, et al. “Pollen Micromorphology of 12 Taxa of Delphinium in Türkiye and Their Taxonomic Importance”. Bitlis Eren University Journal of Science and Technology, vol. 16, no. 1, June 2026, pp. 1-15, doi:10.17678/beuscitech.1787364.
Vancouver
1.Birol Başer, Süleyman Aksu, Murat Kürşat, Ozan Bekmezci. Pollen Micromorphology of 12 Taxa of Delphinium in Türkiye and Their Taxonomic Importance. Bitlis Eren University Journal of Science and Technology. 2026 Jun. 1;16(1):1-15. doi:10.17678/beuscitech.1787364