Seven taxa belonging to the tribe Eupatorieae have been studied palynologically. This tribe is represented by the following species: Barrosoa atlantica King & Robins., B. betonicaeformis (DC.) King & Robins., Mikania belemii King & Robins., M. cordifolia Willd., M. glomerata Spreng., M. micrantha H.B.K., M. trinervis Hook & Arn. and Trichogoniopsis podocarpa (DC.) King & Robins. which were found in the "restinga" of Carapebus, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. The results showed that the tribe presented small or medium, oblate spheroidal to prolate spheroidal, tricolporate pollen grains, sexine with spines and cavea. These taxa could be separated when the pollinic shape and the dimensions of the spine (width, height and distance between them) were considered. After this, two groups were formed: the first one presented pollen grains with oblate spheroidal shape (Barrosoa atlantica, Mikania micrantha, M. trinervis) whereas in the second one the species showed prolate spheroidal shape (Barrosoa betonicaeformis, Mikania belemii, M. cordifolia, M. glomerata and Trichogoniopis podocarpa). Considering the results obtained and current literature, it is concluded that this tribe is palynologically homogeneous, although most of the species could be sorted out according to the pollen grains, except M. glomerata from T. podocarpa and M. belemii from M. cordifolia.
Palynology; Compositae; Eupatorieae; restinga
