SEM STUDIES REGARDING MICROMORPHOLOGY OF FRUIT, SEED COAT AND POLLEN IN GENUS HESPERIS L. (BRASSICACEAE)

The paper presents the micromorphological characteristics (SEM investigations)of fruits, seed coats and pollen grains of genus Hesperis in Austria. The siliquae are usuallyterete, glabrous and rarely with simple trichomes (subsp. nivea), straight or slightly curved.The seeds can present apical wings or not. The testa is reticulate and two main types wererecognize based on seed coat surface, reticulate and ocellate-papillate. The pollen istricolpate and exine is reticulate. The study revealed that palynological, fruit and seedmicromorphological characteristics are significant in the taxonomy of the genus. Anoriginal dichotomic key for Hesperis species in Austria (H. matronalis ssp. matronalis andssp. nivea, H. sylvestris, H. tristis) based on micromorphological characteristics is provided.