The palynological study of 21 taxa of Passiflora L. subg. Decaloba (DC.) Rchb. (Passifloraceae) in Brazil aimed to contribute to a better characterization, as well as the circumscription and delimitation of the subgenus, species and subspecies. The pollen grains were acetolysed, measured, described and illustrated using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The taxa have large or medium-sized pollen grains, isopolar, prolate spheroidal, oblate spheroidal, spheroidal or suprolate, 12-colpate, 12-colporate or 6-colporate, 3 or 6 mesocolpes, and presence or absence of opercules, pseudopercules and secondary opercules, microreticulate (P. truncata) and heteroreticulate exine in the other species. An identification key with pollen characteristics is presented, showing the importance of pollen characteristics for Passiflora taxonomy.
Passiflora subg. Decaloba; palynology; taxonomy; Brazil
