Morfología del polinario de la subtribu Laeliinae Bentham (Tribu Epidendrea I, Orchidaceae) de Colombia

Resum

The Pollinarium of 16 Laeliinae genera were examined with the SEM and stereoscope. Compared with other taxa of the subfamily Epidendroideae, the members of the subtribe Laeliinae reveal the existence of the primitive character as for the number of pollinia (some with 8), nevertheless inside the subtribe evident trend exists to the reduction, given the presence of 4 pollinia in the majority of the analyzed species. As for the ornamentation of the grain of pollen, three principal types were observed: psilate-scabrate-fossulate, rugulate-fossulate-perforate and fossulate-scabrate-verrucate, being the first one most frequent and considered a primitive character. The cohesion of the tetrads inside Laeliinae pollinium changes of very joined to very separated, in the latter case the ornamentation of the periphery of the tetrad presents warts, gems and bacula in Epidendrum, Caularthron, Dimerandra and Encyclia. The type of caudicle is appendicular little or very elaborated, composed for aborted pollen joined for elastoviscina. The analysis of the pollinarium and his implications in the conformation of generic alliances are reflected in a cladogram; the number of pollinia and the structure of the appendicular caudicle they are decisive characters in the conformation of 4 generic alliances: 1. Brassavola-Sophronitis, 2. Laelia-Schomburgkia-Cattleya, 3. Caularthron-Encyclia-Epidendrum-Oerstedella, 4. Jacquiniella-Scaphyglottis-Isochilus-Ponera. Were not precise characters to establish the relation of genera Lanium, Prosthechea, and Dimerandra.