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Pollen morphology of Norwegian hybrids of Sorbus L.
  • +2
  • Heidi Andersen,
  • Nirmala Dhakal,
  • Hoda Parsian,
  • Per Harald Salvesen,
  • Anne Bjune
Heidi Andersen
University of Bergen

Corresponding Author:heidi.andersen@uib.no

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Nirmala Dhakal
University of Bergen
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Hoda Parsian
University of Bergen
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Per Harald Salvesen
University of Bergen
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Anne Bjune
University of Bergen
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Abstract

The genus Sorbus consists of small to medium-sized trees primarily found in coastal areas, with three European hotspots for diversification: Fennoscandia, South-East Europe, and Britain. Taxonomic classification of Sorbus in Europe is still unresolved, and this study aims to address this issue by examining the pollen morphology of different Sorbus hybrids. Pollen morphology of 16 specimens from 13 species of Sorbus, Aria and Hedlundia, some of which are common, while others are endemic and listed as threatened species, were studied. Measurements of the polar and equatorial axis of all pollen show that there are variations in pollen size and shape among different hybrids, with correlation between polyploidy levels and the width of the pollen. Surface structures of pollen were observed using SEM. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed to analyze the pollen characters, and the results show that it is possible to separate Aria from Sorbus and Hedlundia based on the length of the pollen grain, while the number of perforations is important for classification within Hedlundia. The study concludes that pollen morphology can be a useful tool for distinguishing between different Sorbus hybrids and can thus aid in understanding their past distributions.
14 Jun 2023Submitted to Nordic Journal of Botany
19 Jun 2023Submission Checks Completed
19 Jun 2023Assigned to Editor
19 Jun 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
23 Jun 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
28 Sep 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
27 Oct 20231st Revision Received
27 Oct 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
27 Oct 2023Submission Checks Completed
27 Oct 2023Assigned to Editor
08 Nov 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Minor