Comparative allergopalinological study of Rumex Scutatus (Polygonaceae) in Albania

Abstract

In this article, the palynomorphological features of pollen grains of Rumex scutatus (Polygonaceae) have been studied. Samples of flowers and pollen grains were found and collected during field expeditions by various plant individuals in the "Shebenik" National Park in Albania. Two methods have been used for the preparation of pollen slides: acetolysis according to Erdtman and basic fuchsine method according to Smoljaninova and Gollubkova. The Kisser method was used to fix the slides. The results obtained regarding the palynomorphological features and the size of pollen grains for Rumex scutatus have been studied for the first time in the albanian literature and they are compared with those of the other two species, Rumex pulcher and Rumex acetosella, previously studied by other authors. The study showed that the pollen grains of Rumex scutatus are monads with radial and isopolar symmetry. Their dimensions at the polar and equatorial axis and the dimensions of their colpi and pores are larger than those of Rumex acetosella but smaller than those of Rumex pulcher. The exine layer had a thickness of about 1.45 μm and was presented perforate, unlike that of Rumex acetosella (reticulate) and Rumex pulcher (microreticulate).