Light microscopic studies on pollen grains of selected Cyperaceae species from southern Tamil Nadu, India: Relevance in Holocene sediment studies

Abstract

Seven species of Cyperaceae have been selected for quantitative pollen morphological studies through light microscopy as a practical application in the reconstruction of Late Holocene vegetation. Such a study has been taken up because this large family has so far been referred to as one pollen type by the palynologists most of whom have attributed wet lands/marsh lands as the habitat of the members. Though most of the members are found in wet lands, some are found in drier habitats also, making it essential that this family be sub-classified, for which a preliminary attempt has been made in this paper in the study area in southern Tamil Nadu, India, that offers a diversity of habitats. The species chosen are Bulbostylis barbata (Rottb.) Kunth ex Clarke, Cyperus compressus Linn., C. rotundus Linn., Fimbristylis argentea (Rottb.) Vahl., F. ovata (Burm. f.) Kern, Kyllinga bulbosa Beauv. and Scirpus articulatus Linn. Two subtypes were identified among these seven species, with Fimbristylis having distinctive pollen morphological characters.