Morphology and Surface Topography of Pollen and Anthers of Pyrus Species1

A survey of 18 pear species using the scanning electron microscope showed considerable variability in the size, shape and surface topography of both anthers and pollen grains. The size, shape and surface topography of anthers or anther cells did not vary directly with the size, shape and topography of pollen from the same species. The degree of similarity of individual features among species did not seem to coincide with their geographic distribution. However, the combination of pollen and anther features was unique for each species, indicating their value for taxonomic identification.