Glossary
Aperture – a hole or thinning in structure of the pollen grain – distinct from ornamentation in form and function.
Baculate – ornamentation that is rod-like, base not constricted. Boat – pollen grain whose shape is boat- or kidney-shaped.
Clavate – sculpturing greater than 1 μm with constricted bases.
Colpus – an elongated aperture or furrow in the exine. Diporate – having two pores.
Disulcate – two elongated apertures at either pole of the grain.
Echinate – sculpturing with spine- or spike-like elements, between 1 and 3 μm in length.
Fossulate – tectum with furrow-like depressions.
Gemmate – sculpturing with elements constricted at the base, less than 1 μm.
Inaperturate – without pores, letes, sulci, or colpi. No apertures.
Irregular – pollen grain whose shape is not regular. Leptoma – a thinning in the exine of
some Pinaceae pollen grains.
Microechinate – sculpturing with spike-like elements, less than 1 μm in length.
Microreticulate – net-like ornamentation with the openings less than 1 μm in size.
Monad – pollen grains typically dispersed singly.
Monocolpate – an aperture type with a single colpus.
Monoporate – having one pore.
Monosulcate – a single elongated aperture located at the pole of the grain.
Oblate – pollen grain that is wider than it is tall.
Ornamentation – patterned surficial modification to the exine of a pollen grain.
Panto- /periporate – an aperture type where the pores are evenly distributed over the surface.
Perforate – tectum with holes or depressions.
Panto - /pericolpate – an aperture type with more than three colpi distributed over the surface.
Polyad – pollen grains typically dispersed in groups of greater than four.
Polyplicate – a pollen type with more than three deep folds and ridges.
Pore – a circular aperture or hole in the exine.
Prolate – pollen grain that is taller than it is wide.
Psilate – tectum or surface of the pollen grain that is smooth.
Rectangular – pollen grain that has a rectangular outline.
Reticulate – net-like ornamentation with the openings greater than 1 μm in size.
Rhombic/polyhedral – pollen grain that has several flattened faces.
Rugulate – ornamentation that has forms irregular ridges.
Scabrate – having raised, round surface elements less than 1 μm in size.
Spheroidal – pollen grain that is roughly spherical; round in outline.
Stephanocolporate – an aperture type with more than three colpi arranged longitudinally.
Stephanoporate – an aperture type with more than three pores distributed around the equator of the grain.
Striate – ornamentation that forms roughly parallel ridges.
Tetrad – pollen grains typically dispersed in groups of four.
Triangular – a pollen grain whose outline is triangular. Tricolpate – an aperture type with three colpi.
Tricolporate – with three pores, usually associated with three colpi.
Trilete – a three-pronged scar on a spore.
Triporate – with three pores.
Verrucate –surface sculpturing with raised round elements greater than 1 μm in size.
Vesiculate – a pollen type with bladders; common in Pinaceae.
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