Abstract:To understand the embryological characteristics of Dodonaea viscosa in the dry and hot valley and the reasons for its low seed setting rate, microsporogenesis, male gametophyte development and pollen morphological characteristics of D. viscosa were studied with traditional paraffin sections and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the anther of D. viscosa had four pollen sac. The anther wall was composed of the epidermis, the endothecium, 2-3 middle layers, and tapetum (glandular tapetum) from the outside to the inside; at anther mature stage, the middle layer and tapetum denegerated and disappeared. The cytokinesis occurred simultaneously in a microspore mother cell; the tetrad was tetrahedral. The mature pollen was two-celled type. The mature pollen grain was nearly spherical with granular ornamentation on exine and 3 germ furrows which did not form syncolpate. Our researches showed that some abnormal phenomenon in male reproductive development might be one of the reasons of low seed setting rate.
