Glossary of pollen and spore terminology

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Abstract

The glossary of pollen and spore terminology was first presented to the international palynological community as the final outcome of the Working Group on Palynological Terminology at the 8th International Palynological Congress in Aix-en-Provence in 1992. It became widely accepted as reference guide for palynologists to assist in the preparation of accurate and consistent descriptions of their material. It also serves as a practical source of information for non-specialists who wish to understand the meaning of the large number of existing palynological terms.

The history of the glossary began in 1972 at the 3rd IPC at Novosibirsk when the working group on palynology was established. Throughout its history the project has been a collaborative effort with contributions from many palynologists, representing all branches of the discipline. Only through this long and elaborate procedure, with input from many people, it has been possible to produce the glossary.

The entries are arranged alphabetically and are accompanied by simple schematic illustrations where appropriate. These contain the minimum amount of information needed to explain the feature. Moreover, to simplify the recognition of pollen and spore wall layers, colours have been used to indicate the corresponding layers.

The first edition had 547 terms of which 339 have been accepted and recommended for use. In the second edition, a further 41 terms have been added with their appropriate illustrations. Of these, 10 have been accepted and 31 rejected for a variety of reasons. Where necessary, illustrations have been revised. An extensive list of consulted literature has been added.

Section snippets

INTRODUCTION

The terminology used in palynology has long been recognised as a deterrent to those who are not specialists in the subject. We hope that this glossary will make the subject more widely accessible at the same time as simplifying the application of palynological terms without losing any precision. We recognise that the Glossary is not perfect, and anticipate that revisions will be needed in the future.

This introduction sets out the objectives of the glossary, explains the format that has been

OBJECTIVES

The objective of the project has been to provide a concise manual of terminology that can be used to clarify the communication of information concerning pollen grains and spores.

It is hoped that this will help to make palynological literature more accessible to non-specialists and to beginners in the field. In this way it should encourage an increasingly standardised approach to the description of pollen grains and spores.

We have tried to keep the glossary as simple as possible so that it can

THE FORMAT OF THE GLOSSARY

The entries are arranged alphabetically. The form that appears first (the singular, plural or adjectival form of the term) is generally the most commonly used form, although if all forms are widely used the singular is given first. A number of terms are mainly, or exclusively, used as adjectives.

Where the term is printed in bold typeface this indicates that the term is in current usage and is recommended for continued use. Where the head word is printed in normal text this indicates that an

ILLUSTRATIONS

Simple schematic illustrations have been provided where appropriate. These contain the minimum amount of information needed to explain the feature. Some conventions have been used:

  • Where both equatorial view and polar view are shown, the equatorial view (e) is generally given to the left of the polar view (p).

  • Drawings of pollen grains or spores seen in equatorial view are always shown with the distal pole uppermost.

  • Features of ornamentation are generally illustrated by a surface view on the left

THE HISTORY OF THE GLOSSARY

This glossary is the outcome of a initiative that began with the establishment, under the auspices of the International Commission for Palynology (now, the International Federation of Palynological Societies) of a Working Group on Palynological Terminology. With Jan Muller as Secretary, the Working Group communicated by means of circulars and questionnaires distributed among its members. Siwert Nilsson took on the role of Secretary of the Working Group between the 4th International

The glossary

In all drawings, the distal pole is on top, the proximal pole at the bottom, unless otherwise specified. e = equatorial view, p = polar view; H = high level, L = low level. The terms printed in bold are preferred.

A-, an-
A prefix indicating the absence of a feature, as for example in alete.

A-type tetrad (Moar, 1993)
A tetrad in which the aborted cells (1–3 in number) are clearly associated with the fertile grain(s). Example: Cyathodes juniperina (Epacridaceae). See also: S-type tetrad, T-type

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

As in its first edition, the second of the Glossary has much benefited greatly from the advise and expertise of a number of palynologists. We are in particular grateful for the remarks and critical comment of Dr. J. Jansonius and Dr. M. Harley.

We thank the technical staff of the Elsevier Geoscience Journals Department for their help and continuous encouraging support in making the Glossary project a success.

Last but not least we would like to thank Prof. Dr. A. Lotter and the members of the

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