Palynological and Carpological Features in Four Jatropha Species (Euphorbiaceae) as Taxonomic Characters

Abstract

Taxonomic relationships of four Jatropha species namely: J. curcas L., J. gossypifoliaL., J. multifidaL. and J. podagrica Hook. were studied using their pollens, fruits and seeds. Four types of pollens were seen in the four species namely: panporate, syncolpate, monovesiculate and bivesiculate pollens. Panporate type occurs in all the species with 100% frequency in J. curcas and J. multifida. The pollen sizes ranges from 822 μm in syncolpate pollen type in J. gossypifolia to 2013.73 μm in the panporate pollen type in J. multifida. Syncolpate, and monovesculate and bivesculate pollens occurred only in J. gossypifolia and J. podagrica respctively. The lowest mean fruit
and seed length (12.10 mm and 6.17 mm respectively) and width (13.44 mm and 4.14 mm respectively) values were in J. gossypifolia. The highest mean fruit and seed length (27.52 mm) and width (12.44 mm) values were recorded in the J. multifida respectively. A combination of palynological and carpological features is shown to be important in the taxonomy and systematics of the four Jatropha species.