title: Separating morphologically similar pollen types using basic shape features from digital images: A preliminary study(1.).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  One of the many advantages offered by automated palynology systems is the ability to vastly increase the number of observations made on a particular sample or samples. This is of particular benefit when attempting to fully quantify the degree of variation within or between closely related pollen types. •
  
  
  METHODS
  An automated palynology system (Classifynder) has been used to further investigate the variation in pollen morphology between two New Zealand species of Myrtaceae (Leptospermum scoparium and Kunzea ericoides) that are of significance in the New Zealand honey industry. Seven geometric features extracted from automatically gathered digital images were used to characterize the range of shape and size of the two taxa, and to examine the extent of previously reported overlap in these variables. •
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results indicate a degree of overlap in all cases. The narrowest overlap was in measurements of maximum Feret diameter (MFD) in grains oriented in polar view. Multivariate statistical analysis using all seven factors provided the most robust discrimination between the two types. •
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further work is required before this approach could be routinely applied to separating the two pollen types used in this study, most notably the development of comprehensive reference distributions for the types in question.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bebbington
keywords: Classifynder; Kunzea ericoides; Leptospermum scoparium; Myrtaceae; automated palynology; geometric features; pollen morphology