This study is a palynologycal characterization and taxonomic description of 12 species within 12 genera, distributed in nine tribes from Asteracaeae. All studied species are used as medicines by people from Vila Dois Rios and they occur in Ilha Grande. This work aimed to characterize the pollen grains of medicinal species of Asteraceae from Vila Dois Rios and provide diagnostic keys based on macromorphological and pollen characters to help their identification, since the correct taxonomic and palynological recognition of these species is necessary for further studies on therapeutic effectiveness and safety. It must be considered that these acknowledgments have economic importance for the community, as melissopalynology practices are taking place in Vila Dois Rios. The pollen grains were acetolysed, measured decribed and illustrated under light microscope. To observe details of aperture and surface, non acetolysed pollen grains were analysed under scanning electronic microscopy. Characteristics like shape, size, sexine and aperture constitution were studied. The results show that the palynological characterization of these species is a valuable tool to differ them from each other and sustains that Asteraceae is euripolinic.
Asteraceae; Ilha Grande; medicinal plants; palynology
