Abstract
Pollen morphology of 10 Vaccinium species, 10 interspecific hybrids, and 3 colchicine-induced polyploids were studied using scanning electron microscopy. Size, exine patterning, furrow and pore size and shape, and general appearance were investigated. Although differing morphological features were generally lacking, some interspecific differences and variation within hybrid populations were noted. Furrow and pore sizes, and the associating opericuli were the most valuable characters. Some species had large furrows with large rounded pores and others had small furrows with insignificant pores. Exine patterning was minimal and, when present, generally occurred in the inter-colporate regions. F1 populations of V. corymbosum × V. elliottii had the greatest exine variation and the degree of exine patterning revealed a possible dosage effect. Exine patterns suggest that the ancestors of V. myrsinites may be V. darrowi and V. elliottii rather than V. darrowi and V. tenellum as previously proposed by Camp.