Structure of Deschampsia antarctica Desv. anther and pollen grain under the confocal microscope

Abstract

The structure of the anther and pollen grain was investigated in an Antarctic plant Deschampsia antarctica Desv. under a confocal microscope (CLSM). The Antarctic hair grass is one of the two native vascular plants growing in Antarctica. The structure of D. antarctica stamens with their short filaments and elongated anthers is typical of the family Poaceae. Microsporogenesis and development of D. antarctica pollen grains proceeds in a way typical of angiosperms from the family Poaceae. Beside the pistil, the hermaphroditic flower has three stamens with numerous pollen grains in pollen loculi. The monoporate and heteropolar pollen grains have a porus located at the distal pole. When observed under the confocal microscope (CLSM), D. antarctica microspores and pollen grains packed tightly inside the microsporangium exhibit strong fluorescence after eosin staining (green fluorescence). The use of calcofluor yielded blue fluorescence of anther endothecial cell walls. The D. antarctica anther endothecium is formed of a single layer of cells, although more than one layer of cells were observed at some sites.