New Zealand Journal of Botany ISSN: 0028-825X (Print) 1175-8643 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tnzb20 Standardizing names applied to pollen and spores in New Zealand Quaternary palynology N T Moar , J M Wilmshurst & M S McGlone To cite this article: N T Moar , J M Wilmshurst & M S McGlone (2011) Standardizing names applied to pollen and spores in New Zealand Quaternary palynology, New Zealand Journal of Botany, 49:2, 201-229, DOI: 10.1080/0028825X.2010.526617 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/0028825X.2010.526617 Published online: 31 May 2011. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 840 View related articles Citing articles: 27 View citing articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=tnzb20 New Zealand Journal of Botany Vol. 49, No. 2, June 2011, 201Á229 Standardizing names applied to pollen and spores in New Zealand Quaternary palynology NT Moar, JM Wilmshurst* and MS McGlone Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand (Received 27 April 2010; final version received 21 September 2010) Pollen analysts often study pollen grains that cannot be easily attributed to a particular taxon. As a consequence, a pollen type may be recorded under various names, leading to uncertainty in their interpretation by others. This limits the usefulness of pollen data for inclusion in databases or meta-analyses. To minimize any such ambiguity, we briefly describe the pollen grains of New Zealand gymnosperms and angiosperms and assign an appropriate name to each. Tree ferns are also included, as they are almost ubiquitous in New Zealand palynomorph records, and are often misidentified and misrepresented. We also provide a review of the occurrence of all taxa in New Zealand pollen records, and of pollination modes, pollen production and dispersal. Keywords: pollen grains; Filicopsida; Pinopsida; Magnoliopsida; pollen record; pollination mode; pollen production; pollen dispersal Introduction may be obscured or destroyed by corrosion Pollen analysis is a valuable tool in diverse (Wilmshurst & McGlone 2005a). For these fields such as plant ecology, vegetation history reasons, palynologists often differ in the name and climate history, oil exploration and glaciol- they apply to a particular pollen grain or spore. ogy, and melissopalynology to determine the Easily recognized grains may be recorded in nectar source in honey. In all these studies, it is different ways for no apparent reason. Thus, important to identify the pollen grains and pollen derived from a monotypic taxon in New Zealand, e.g. Ascarina lucida, is often recorded spores as accurately as possible. However, not at the generic level in the same way as pollen all pollen grains can be assigned with certainty derived from a genus with several or many to a particular taxon. Factors influencing species, e.g. Metrosideros. Pollen also may be pollen production, pollen morphology, pollen referred to as a family, e.g. Myrtaceae, without dispersal, the habit and range of source plants, any attempt to separate genera, and therefore deposition and preservation of pollen and treated in the same way as those which are so spores (Wilmshurst & McGlone 2005a, b) and similar as to defy easy recognition, e.g. Poaceae. the process of sample preparation can all In some cases, the pollen of genera such as influence the final decision. Access to a regional Leptospermum and Kunzea (Myrtaceae) cannot pollen collection or pollen atlas (Moar 1993) be distinguished; in others, pollen of some may resolve some problems, but there are genera within a family such as Podocar- always grains that cannot easily be identified, paceae can be easily recognized, e.g. Dacrydium either because they have not been encountered cupressinum, whereas others cannot, e.g. before or because their characteristic features Halocarpus. A review of pollen diagrams *Corresponding author. Email: [email protected] ISSN 0028-825X print/ISSN 1175-8643 online # 2011 The Royal Society of New Zealand DOI: 10.1080/0028825X.2010.526617 http://www.informaworld.com 202 NT Moar et al. published over the last 30 years shows that as older sediments, particularly since these often pollen grains became progressively better have no known modern plant source to which known, the precision of identification has they can be assigned. In large families, e.g. improved. Despite this, the ambiguities we refer Cyperaceae, or in large genera, e.g. Hebe, not to persist. For example, sedge pollen is usually all taxa have been considered, an admission referred to as Cyperaceae, but as Moar and which extends to recently revised taxa, e.g. Wilmshurst (2003) have shown, it is possible to Montia, which now includes eight species achieve a more precise identification of the (Heenan 2007) rather than the one, Neopaxia sedges by recognizing different pollen types australasica, previously recognized, and to within the group. pollen of the Orchidaceae and Poaceae, which A difficulty for some who use pollen to date have not been studied in detail in New analytical data arises when new taxonomic Zealand. We suggest the following conventions names are adopted, but not explained by the for nominative use in pollen diagrams: palynologist. An example of this problem is the almost universal use of the subgeneric name 1. Use a specific name when there is only one Fuscospora for pollen formerly recorded as species represented in the region or country, Nothofagus fusca type, or the changes for the e.g. Dacrycarpus dacrydioides and Ascarina taxon once known as Dacrydium colensoi, then lucida, or when the pollen or spores of one as Lagarostrobos colensoi, and currently as species of a genus is clearly different from Manoao colensoi. It is important that an author the rest, e.g. Nothofagus menziesii and clearly states the nomenclatural basis for names Drosera arcturi. used in diagrams and any associated discussion. 2. Use a generic or subgeneric name when the The above comments apply as much to fern pollen or spores of different species within a spores as they do to pollen grains. However, it genus or subgenus are so similar that is not intended here to discuss spores in any separation is difficult or impossible under detail (covered by Large & Braggins 1991) routine analysis. Examples are Epilobium, except those of Cyatheaceae and Dicksonia- Fuscospora (a subgenus of Nothofagus that ceae. The spores of these tree ferns are found in includes N. fusca, N. solandri s.l. and N. most sediments because they are highly resis- truncata), Metrosideros and Myrsine. tant to decay, and are often well preserved, as 3. Use a generic name and ‘type’ when two or in peat, or variously degraded, as in lake more genera share the same pollen or spore sediments or in organic soils (Wilmshurst et type. Examples are Leptospermum type to al. 1999; Wilmshurst & McGlone 2005a). include pollen of Leptospermum and Kun- Although they are distinctive enough, it is not zea, and Phyllachne type to include Phyl- always easy to separate them from other lachne and Forstera. In selecting the generic similarly shaped spores such as Adiantum. name in these instances, we follow previous Accordingly, we include the Cyatheaceae and palynological usage. Dicksoniaceae in this discussion; comments are 4. Use specific name followed by ‘type’ when based on Large & Braggins (1991). the pollen or spores of different species The purpose of this review is to suggest how within a genus can be identified into groups best to refer to the pollen types and tree fern based on distinctive characters. For exam- spores recorded in a New Zealand pollen ple, Myosotis pollen can be distinguished diagram so as to avoid ambiguity, and to into Myosotis uniflora type, Myosotis angu- make for a more uniform presentation of the stata type and Myosotis australis type data. We restrict our treatment to late Qua- (Moar 1993); likewise, Cyathea spores can ternary material in order to avoid conflict with be distinguished into Cyathea smithii type form genera proposed by those working with and Cyathea dealbata type. Standardizing names in New Zealand palynology 203 5. Use a tribe or family name for recording Heywood et al. (2007) because of the distinct pollen or spores above generic level as differences in their pollen morphology. For appropriate, e.g. Lactuceae, Poaceae. some genera, alternative familial affinities are indicated in parentheses. We provide brief Although it is hoped that these conventions descriptions of pollen grains based mainly on will lead to a more uniform presentation of Cranwell (1953), Moar (1993) and Pocknall pollen diagrams, it is not suggested that refer- (1981a, b, c), and of the spores of tree ferns ence to species be omitted from any discussion (Large & Braggins 1991), together with the when it is appropriate to do so. Thus a pollen suggested name to be used for each pollen and diagram from Westland may record the pre- spore type recorded. Where relevant, we also sence of Metrosideros, but it needs to be stated provide brief comments. Finally, for each taxon that the probable source is Metrosideros um- we provide a categorical summary for the bellata, especially if it is abundant. When this pollen occurrence, pollination mode, type of pollen is recorded in high numbers from Auck- pollen production and dispersal based on data land Island peat samples, the source can only from published pollen diagrams to assist with be that of Metrosideros umbellata. However, a the interpretation of pollen diagrams. These conservative approach is recommended for categories are summarized for convenience in most standard pollen diagrams and all data- Table 1. Dispersal refers to occurrence of bases. Distinctions should go no lower than the significant quantities of a given pollen type, taxonomic level at which they can be reliably not simply presence. It is noted that for easy and consistently made.