Research Question

How closely related are plants native to Oregon?

Hypothesis

We would predict that in looking at the pollen of our three species, 

  that the Oregon Grapes will be more closely related than the currant because they seem

to be within the same family. However, we would not guess that the pollen depends on

the location of the plants. 

Evolutionary Trees Based on Protein Sequences

Using UniProt this tree was made studying the protein rubisco.

We then used Jalview to make a more detailed tree from the information we gained from UniProt. 

   

Evolutionary Tree Based on Pollen

Justification: The Tall Oregon Grape and the Flowering Currant are both monoletes with one aperture versus the Dull Oregon Grape which is a dicolpate with two apertures.

Pollen Data Table

Common Name	Scientific Name	Pollen size (μm)	Pollen Type	Number of Apertures	Surface Texture
Dull Oregon Grape	Mahonia nervosa	20.5 µm	Dicolpate	2 apertures	Reticulate
Tall Oregon Grape	Mahonia aquifolium	18.6 µm (width)	Monolete	1 aperture	Reticulate
Flowering Currant	Ribes sanguineum	25.6 µm (width)	Monolete	1 aperture	Reticulate

Tall Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium)

Picture Credits to: www.theintertwine.org

Tall Oregon Grape

(Light Microscope Image)

Magnification: 35x

Notes: Photo credit to pollenlikekobe.blogspot.com

Tall Oregon Grape

(Dissecting Scope Image)

Magnification: 35x

Notes: The pollen was really hard to find. We weren't

sure that we were actually able to find any.

Tall Oregon Grape

Tall Oregon Grape taken with SEM microscope at 2000x


Tall Oregon Grape taken with SEM microscope at 7600x

Dull Oregon Grape (Mahonia nervosa)

Picture Credits to: flickr.com

Dull Oregon Grape

(Light Microscope Image)

Notes: The image wouldn't focus as clearly as with the flowering currant.

However, the pollen was easy to spot. 

Dull Oregon Grape

(Dissecting Scope Image)

Magnification: 35x

Notes: It was much harder to find the pollen at first.

It looked almost sap like in the beginning. 

Dull Oregon Grape

Dull Oregon Grape taken with SEM microscope at 2000x


Dull Oregon Grape taken with SEM microscope at 12800x

Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum)

Picture Credit to: gardenseeker.com

Flowering Currant 

(Light Microscope Image)

Notes: The pollen was easy to spot by the round shape

and it came into focus very well. 

Flowering Currant

(Dissecting Scope Image)

Magnification: 35x

Notes:Pollen was found in the opening of the anther. 

Flowering Currant

Flowering Currant taken with SEM microscope at 2000x

Due to lack of pollen, we had to crush the anther on the stub.