Abstract: In the present study, the pollen morphology of eight species of Dianthus L. in Xinjiang was observed under the scanning electron microscope(SEM). In these species, the pollen grains are monad, spherical. The size of pollen grains ranges from 30.5 μm to 44.0 μm. The number of round aperture is 12 to 16. The diameter of aperture is from 4.0 μm to 7.0 μm, it has pore membrane with some thorns and exine of pollen with thorn-like and hole-like patterns, the surface with or without perforation. The size of pollen, exine ornamentation and characteristics of aperture are different to some extent among these different species. This shows their important taxonomic significances.

Key words: Dianthus, pollen morphology, SEM, Xinjiang