Foldscope unfolded sticky pollen in another plant – Duranta erecta commonly called Damyanti.

Duranta erecta is a common shrub cultivated in gardens as a fence is an invasive species. It bears small blue to purple somewhat tubular flowers hanging out in terminal clusters.

I split open a flower to separate stamens and carpel. The petals were variegated, bearing trichomes on the edges and in the middle.

The lobed green stigma could be marked out within the stamens.

The stamens had short filaments but elongated anthers.

On teasing the anthers, the mass of sticky pollen protruded out. The pollen separated when placed in water drop. The pollen on magnification appeared to be tricolpate.

A small tubular pollen tube could be seen in germinating pollen.

Flower cluster of Duranta erecta & a flower split open

A petal separated out & Trichomes seen on the edges ofhe petal

Middle portion of the petal

Stigma and anther lobes

Sticky pollen mass

Tricolpate Pollen of Duranta & Pollen tube of a germinating pollen

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