Procedure SEM

To prepare the SEM slide we took a little bit of pollen from each of our three dehydrated flowers, Echinacea, Crocosmia, and Red Tulip, and put them onto a SEM slide. When we put it into the SEM we zoomed to 2000 on each kind of pollen, measured them, and took photos. Those photos were posted to the blog.

Data Table

Common Name	Scientific Name	Pollen size (μm)	Pollen Type	Number of Apertures
Echinacea	Echinacea purpurea	34.5 um	echinate, psilate, poliplicate	25+
Crocosmia	Crocosmia aurea	54.5 mm	monolete, foveolate	0
Red Tulip	Tulipa gardenia	54.2 mm	inaperturate, striate	0

Conclusion

Our data and research help us prove that Red Tulip and Crocosmia might have evolved from the same ancestor because our SEM photos show similar characteristics between those two. Echinacea is not similar comparing those two because the shape of the pollen is completely different, which has pointy end to it. Also, the DNA sequence was not as close as those two, so we believe that Echinacea has evolved from the common ancestor in early stage.

Crocosmia Background Information

Crocosmia, also known as montbretia in the United kingdom, and Coppertips or falling stars in the United States, is native to grasslands in the cape floristic region of South Africa. Each species of crocosmia has its origins there, but hybrids of the species have been found throughout Europe, North America, and Australia. Crocosmia is from the family iridaceae, part if the larger iris species, which also includes flowers such as crocus, whose name also originates from the greek krokos, for saffron. Like other members of this family, crocosmia is perennial and can grow from underground bulbs or corms.

Sources:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/howtogrow/3292390/In-focus-crocosmia.html

http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/03030800-0b07-490a-8d04-0605030c0f01/media/Html/Crocosmia_x_crocosmiiflora.htm

http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/irid.htm

Photo from Emily McKenzie

Experimental Question Analysis

what our data shows
When looking at our photographs from the SEM, we see that the pollen is roughly the same size for each plant. The shape and surface texture is varied though some share more similarities. The structures of red tulip and crocosmia are the most similar, red tulip being smooth an oval with an almost paisley patterned surface texture, and crocosmia being rounded with an indented center. Echinacia is least similar to the other pollen grains, having spiky apertures on an oval body.

Interpretations of the data
Because of their similar shape and surface texture, red tulip and crocosmia may have evolved closer together or in similar habitats.

Error Analysis
Our samples, especially for echinacia, were limited, since samples were shared between many students. At some point, there was no pollen left to complete aspects of data collection. If each group had their own samples, this could have been avoided. In addition, since the question my group tried to answer dealt with difference in pollen in relation to location, more samples from each region should have been included to more accurately address the query. More research on the subject of pollen and it's relation to region before taking data would have better prepared us for the experiment.

Phylogenic tree based on protein sequences of rubisco

*Note: tulip species sequences may not be the same as the red tulip used in our data.

What makes Pollen special.

Pollen contains the Microgametophytes, which create the male gametes of Seed Plants.  Pollen can also be transferred from plant to plant through a process called Pollination which includes traveling through the wind, or by hitching a ride on specific animals like Bees, Butterflies, and Humming Birds.  Pollen grains are equipped with a hard shell that protects the sperm cells during pollination and when they move from the Stamens located on the Pistils of all flowering pants, or from the male to the female cone parts of coniferous plants.  When pollen touches a suitable pistil or a female cone, it begins to germinate and create a pollen tube that is able to transfer sperm directly to the ovule.  Pollen grains are so small that you need a microscope to see them and their details, and the study of pollen is called Palynology, which is extremely useful in Paleoecology, Paleontology, Archeology, and even Forensic Science.