ONLINE IMAGE COLLECTION

Click on Image for JPG rendition
Image Title: Hydration of an Oriental Spruce (Picea orientalis) Pollen Grain
Image Credit: C. John Runions, University of Victoria
AJB Editor: Karl Niklas, Cornell University
Intended End User: Teacher, Student
License Details: BSA - Terms for Image Use
Copyright held by: BSA,
For Larger Version (click here)

About the Image

Time series during hydration of an oriental spruce (Picea orientalis) pollen grain. Rhodamine B stains the exine (red) while fluorescein diacetate crosses plasmalemmae and indicates esterase activity in the living cells (green). Swelling of the tube cell reduces the volume of the saccate air space and results in a loss of pollen buoyancy. Confocal extended depth of focus sections taken at (top to bottom) 1, 8, and 15 min after start of hydration.

Link to the AJB Abstract for the article:

Pollination of Picea orientalis (Pinaceae): saccus morphology governs pollen buoyancy

National Science Foundation  Development Supported by the National Science Foundation