Chemical studies on the constitution of some pollen and spore membranes

Abstract

The membranes of Lycopodium clavatum spores and Pinus silvestris pollen grains are similar, and have been found to consist approximately of cellulose (10—15%), an ill-defined “xylan” fraction (10%), a lipid fraction (55—65%) which on oxidative degradation gives a mixture of non-branched mono- and di-carboxylic acids with 16 carbon atoms or less, and a lignin-like fraction estimated to be 10—15%. The significance of these results is discussed.