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Pollen morphology of southern African Lauraceae (Cassytha, Cryptocarya, Dahlgrenodendron, Ocotea) and members of the genera Beilschmiedia, Eusideroxylon, Hypodaphnis, Lindera and Potoxylon was studied by means of light and scanning electron microscopy. Pollen morphologically the various genera could readily be distinguished from each other, but few interspecific differences were found. To assess the taxonomic significance of pollen characters in Lauraceae, evidence from the literature was also considered and compared with the infrafamilial classification proposed by Kostermans. On the basis of mainly shape and exine sculpture, four pollen types are distinguished in Lauraceae. Pollen type A (grains spheroidal, apolar, spinulose) has been only recorded in the tribes Perseeae, Cinnamomeae, Litseeae and Hypodaphneae; pollen type B (oblate/peroblate, isopolar, slightly to strongly verrucate) occurs only in the Cryptocaryeae; pollen type C (spheroidal, apolar, strongly verrucate/spinuloid) is character...