Palynotaxonomy of <i>Leptohyptis</i> Harley &amp; J.F.B.Pastore and <i>Oocephalus</i> (Benth.) Harley &amp; J.F.B.Pastore (Lamiaceae: Hyptidinae)

This paper aims to characterize the pollen of two genera within the subtribe Hyptidinae (Lamiaceae): <i>Leptohyptis</i> Harley &amp; J.F.B. Pastore (4 species) and <i>Oocephalus</i> (Benth.) Harley &amp; J.F.B. Pastore (12 species). The study evaluates whether pollen morphology corroborates the recent taxonomy of the group where most of the species studied are endemic to Brazil. Acetolysed pollen grains were measured, described, and photomicrographed. Non-acetolysed pollen grains were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. All analyzed taxa have pollen grains shed in monads, isopolar, medium or large in size, 6-(8)-colpate, varying from suboblate to prolate, with small to very small polar area. The presence of an operculum was observed in all species of <i>Leptohyptis</i>. By contrast, in <i>Oocephalus</i>, an operculum was present only <i>O. grazielae</i> Harley and <i>O. niveus</i> (Epling) Harley &amp; J.F.B.Pastore. The sexine is reticulate in <i>Leptohypti</i>s and bireticulate in <i>Oocephalus.</i> The variations revealed by this study imply that pollen morphology holds significant taxonomic value for the systematics of the genera <i>Oocephalus</i> and <i>Leptohyptis</i>, particularly when morphometric and morphological characters are examined together. Assessment of quantitative values by multivariate analyses (hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis) was not sufficient to separate the genus <i>Oocephalus</i> into its four sections. Only <i>O. niveus</i> and <i>O. petraeus</i> (A.St.-Hil. ex Benth.) Harley &amp; J.F.B.Pastore remained separated. All other species remained in the same main group in hierarchical clustering, and it was also not possible to group <i>L. calida</i> (Mart. ex Benth.) Harley &amp; J.F.B.Pastore with other species of the genus. The results revealed the existence of differences in palynological attributes between the studied taxa.