Abstract: Pollen morphology of 6 species, 1 variety and 1 form of 4 genera (Chamaedaphne Moench., Ledum Linn., Phyllodoce Salisb., Vaccinium Linn.) of family Ericaceae, distributing in northeast of China, was examined in the light microsc op e(LM) and with the scanning electron microscope(SEM). All of the pollen grains o f the 4 genera are characterized in tetrahedral tetrad. Pollen grains of the 4 genera are spheroidal or subspheroidal with 3-colporates, which shaped as half-c olpi due to two neighborly grains of tetrahedral tetrad link together. Exine is composed with two layers in LM. The ornamentation of the exine is reticulate or granulate. The mean size of the pollen grains ranges from 34.0 to 43.7μm. Pollen grains are diverse in size and in ornamentation of the exine. These can be taken as the characters for identification of species.

Key words: Ericaceae, Chamaedaphne, Ledum, Phyllodoce, Vaccinium, Pollen morphology