Abstract Pollen morphology of 19 species, 4 subspecies, and 1 variety of Carlina was studied in detail by light and scanning electron microscopy. Qualitative and quantitative pollen morphological characters which vary between taxa are found in the length of the ectocolpi, presence/nature of the echinae, pollen size and shape, lumina area, P/E ratio, polar axis, equatorial diameter, pollen shape, ectocolpi length, sculpture of ectoaperture membranes, area of lumina, and exine ornamentation. Three main pollen types are discerned: the C. atlantica type characterized by P/E ≤ 1.00, the C. curetum type characterized by P/E = 1.03–1.11, and the C. acanthifolia type with ratio P/E = 1.24–1.50. HCA and PCA analyses were carried out to detect the potential palynological characters which could be used to identify taxa. The data suggest that several pollen morphological characters can be used to delimit the taxa of Carlina. Dichotomous artificial keys based on palynological data are also given.

中文翻译：

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Carlina L. (Carlininae, Compositae) 属的花粉多样性及其系统意义

摘要 采用光学显微镜和扫描电镜对Carlina 19种4亚种1个变种的花粉形态进行了详细研究。不同分类群之间的定性和定量花粉形态特征在外阴道的长度、紫锥菊的存在/性质、花粉大小和形状、腔面积、P/E 比、极轴、赤道直径、花粉形状、外阴道长度中发现，外孔膜雕塑，管腔面积和外壁装饰。识别出三种主要的花粉类型：C. atlantica 型的 P/E ≤ 1.00，C. curtum 型的 P/E = 1.03–1.11，以及 C. acanthifolia 型的 P/E = 1.24–1.50 . 进行了 HCA 和 PCA 分析以检测可用于识别分类群的潜在孢粉学特征。数据表明，几种花粉形态特征可用于划定 Carlina 的分类群。还给出了基于孢粉学数据的二分人工密钥。