Pollen tetrads from Palaeocene sediments of Meghalaya, India: Comments on their morphology, botanical affinity and geological records

Abstract

The pollen tetrads of Kielmeyerapollenites, Droserapollis, Ericipites and two new genera, viz., Nepenthidites and Pilatetradites are studied under light and scanning electron microscopes. Each genus is tetrahedral, isodiametric and their size is relatively proportional with the size of individual grains in a tetrad. Their exine sculpture reflects that the ektexinal extension between two grains is a persistent character which plays an important role in the stability of the tetrad. Their morphological similarity with extant taxa provides additional information on symmetry, mechanism of tetrad cohesion and botanical affinities.