Pollen morphology of the genera Pometia, Cubilia, Otonephelium, and Litchi (Sapindaceae-Nephelieae)

The pollen morphology of the nine taxa within the genus Pometia, the three subspecies of Litchi chinensis, and the species Cubilia cubili and Otonephelium stipulaceum (Sapindaceae — Nephelieae) was studied. Three pollentypes were found: 1) the Pometia pollentype, which occurs in all nine taxa of the genus; 2) the Litchi pollentype, which can be divided in two subtypes: a) characteristic for Litchi chinensis subsp. chinensis. subsp. phillippinensis, and Otonephelium and, as could be concluded from a provisional investigation, also for Xerospermum and Nephelium, and b) characteristic for Litchi chinensis subsp. javensis; 3) the Cubilia pollentype. Possible evolutionary trends in the tribe Nephelieae are discussed