Such morphological characteristics
of pollen can have implications for pollen germination,
pollen viability as well as pollination mechanisms. For example,
Furness and Rudall (1999) argued that an omniaperturate (a pollen
grain with thin or absent exine and thick intine) condition with
reduced exine might be an adaptation to increased germination
efficiency because the pollen tube is formed more quickly and
can emerge from any region. The role of the exine is to protect
the male spore and gametophyte from desiccation and other
dangers of sub-aerial dispersal (Heslop-Harrison, 1976); therefore,
reduction or absence of exine in Hedychium pollen could adversely
affect its long-term viability