(2021). 50. Piantarella (south Corsica, France). Grana. Ahead of Print.

Abstract The palaeobotanical name Clavatricolpites Hoeken-Klink., representing a Late Cretaceous magnoliopsid pollen genus, is a later homonym. It is preoccupied by the Tricolpate pollen genus name Clavatricolpites R. L. Pierce and is replaced by Nigericolpites nom. nov.

Abstract Pollen and honey resources composing the diet of Tetragonisca angustula fiebrigi Schwarz were assessed using pollen analysis of wild colonies sampled in two kinds of native dry forests of the Chaco region. Different measurements: direct pollen count, relative volume, diversity and evenness indices, value of importance of species (SI), and index of relative importance (IRI) were compared. The

Abstract In the present work, bee foraging plants were determined by palynological analysis of colony stored samples (honey and pollen) of Apis dorsata collected from southern West Bengal, India. Then flowering phenology and pollen morphologies were described to evaluate the forage preference of the bee species. In addition, chemical cues were analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)

(2020). 51. Zeller See. Grana. Ahead of Print.

Abstract A new umbellate ornamentation pattern is described in Isoetes megaspores based on scanning electron microscopy and thorough comparisons with sculptural patterns documented in lycophytes and ferns. The umbellate ornamentation is quite distinct from other vertically projected megaspore sculptural patterns (baculate, clavate, gemmulate, pustulate, tuberculate, saccate and verrucate). In addition

Abstract This study aimed to identify the pollen types present in the honey of Melipona fasciculata and Melipona subnitida in a Restinga area (plant communities under a marine influence) and identify pollen grains that belonged to plants with nectar resouces. In total, 56 pollen types were found in the honey samples of the two bee species studied, with a large number of representatives from the Fabaceae

Abstract Twenty honey samples of Apis mellifera were collected during the main flowering period (July–October) between 2003 and 2018. Six apiaries in Mato Grosso (MT) state and three apiaries in Mato Grosso do Sul (MS) state were sampled. The vegetation in the region is non-flooding, seasonally flooded and aquatic savanna with scattered forested patches (seasonal semi-deciduous forest, Cerrado and

Abstract Pollen characters of the Algerian oleaster (Olea europaea subsp. europaea var. sylvestris [Mill.] Lehr) from eight ecotypes were analysed to evaluate the geo-climatic effect of their environment. Samples were collected along an altitudinal gradient from western to central Algeria. Eighteen morphological characters of the pollen grains were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

(2020). 49. Saint Florent (north Corsica, France). Grana. Ahead of Print.

Abstract A variety of Spinizonocolpites pollen types which were commonly related to the mangrove palm Nypa has been recorded in marine beds intercalated in the lignite-bearing middle Eocene Helmstedt Formation in northern Germany. They are further confirmation for the existence of a tropical mangrove at the southern coast of the Proto-North Sea. Seven morphological parameters related to pollen size

Abstract To test the validity and reliability of methods for collecting palynological samples from paved surfaces common in urban areas, palynomorphs at three concentration levels were collected from four pavement types using seven different methods. Results showed that more spores and pollen could be recovered from smooth surfaces than from other surface types, while sterile water˗soaked cotton swabs

Abstract This article presents re-investigated Crato Formation sample material from David J. Batten’s palynological legacy using a combination of light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The investigation shows that Afropollis jardinus specimens from Crato clay have central bodies that are either smaller (36%) or larger (42%) than half the diameter of the entire body or are lost

Abstract The external pollen morphology of Helianthemum caput-felis Boiss. (Cistaceae) was studied from nine populations covering the whole distribution range in the western Mediterranean Basin, using light and scanning electron microscopy. Pollen grains are medium sized, radially symmetrical and tricolporate, and the pollen shape varies from sub-prolate to prolate-spheroidal. According to the exine

Abstract Here we report a pollen organ from the upper Permian of the Dead Sea region with in situ pollen showing a wall structure typical for lyginopterid seed ferns. The single specimen resembles the dispersed seed-fern pollen organs Dictyothalamus and Melissiotheca in being composed of numerous densely positioned, radiating pollen sacs that together form a characteristic honeycomb-like surface pattern

Microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton of pepper male-sterile microsporocytes during meiosis was examined to characterise the defects during microsporogenesis by comparison with that of fertile ones. In sterile microsporocytes, after prophase I, abnormal arrangement of MTs occurred until the end of meiosis. At metaphase I, about 10% of microsporocytes initially formed abnormal spindles, including monopolar

The pollen morphology of the Iberian taxa of the genus Xanthium s.l. and of the non-Iberian species X. ambrosioides was studied to help to identify these poisonous, allergenic and invasive taxa and clarify their taxonomic relationships. In addition, the question of the existence and structure of a mesoaperture in the apertural system of Xanthium was also considered. The pollen grains of sections Acanthoxanthium

Calcium dynamics in the developing pollen of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) were investigated using an antimonate calcium precipitation method. After microspores were released from the tetrad, abundant calcium precipitates formed on the surface of microspores. A characteristic event during microspore development is the formation of a large vacuole which displaces the nucleus to the periphery

During the last 35 years, a number of high-resolution pollen diagrams were made for the western Lake Constance area. Up to now, 12 such records exist, most of them covering the time from the early Neolithic to the present, and all of them independently dated by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates. Here, we present a new pollen record from Böhringer See, a small dead ice lake, analysed

This study examines the use of Virtual Slide Images with the aim of assessing their efficacy and usability in comparison to traditional microscopy with glass slides for the Quality Control of aerobiological samples. Three glass microscopy slides containing samples of airborne pollen were digitised. Six counters from two laboratories examined the glass slides and their data were used to calculate assigned

A melissopalynological study was carried out on 46 samples of Ziziphus lotus honey from Laghouat and Djelfa region (central Algeria). The number of pollen types identified per honey sample ranges between nine and 39 with a mean of 24. These correspond to 52 botanical families with 79 different pollen types in the whole samples. Asteraceae and Fabaceae families were present in all the samples where

Melissopalynological analysis of 14 honey samples of Tetragonisca angustula (two), Scaptotrigona mexicana (six), Melipona beecheii (three) and Melipona solani (three) from Soconusco region in Chiapas, Mexico was performed. A total of 79 taxa were identified, being Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Melostomataceae and Rubiaceae the predominant pollen types. Melissopalynological analysis reported

(2020). 48. Mires near the yew forest of Paterzell (Upper Bavaria, Germany). Grana. Ahead of Print.

Abstract The genus Cousinia of the tribe Cardueae, Asteraceae, including more than 600 species, is one of the most species-rich genera in central and southwest Asia. The section Cynaroideae with 89 species is the largest section of the genus. The taxonomy of Cousinia is controversial. Using pollen morphology may be a useful tool in identifying and delimitating species. The present study therefore aims

Public awareness of the rising importance of allergies and other respiratory diseases has led to increased scientific effort to accurately and rapidly monitor and predict pollen, fungal spores and other bioaerosols in our atmosphere. An important driving force for the increased social and scientific concern is the realisation that climate change will increasingly have an impact on worldwide bioaerosol

(2020). 47. Mlaca T˘atarilor peat bog, Southern Transylvania (Romania) Grana: Vol. 59, No. 6, pp. 476-478.

Little is known about the reproduction of Dendrocalamus asper because it flowers only every 100 to 120 years. In the present work we describe some reproductive features of this bamboo and characterise flowers and pollen at various developmental stages. Number of pollen grains and ovules per flower, pollen/ovule ratio, in vitro twinning and pollen grain viability in vivo were evaluated and the different

(2020). 46.Lake Panichishte, Rila Mountains (Bulgaria) Grana: Vol. 59, No. 5, pp. 396-398.

Passiflora subgenus Passiflora possesses about 236 species divided into six supersections, among which Stipulata with Granadillastrum is one of its sections. The objective of the present study was to analyse the pollen morphology of 19 species subordinate to the section Granadillastrum and to identify attributes important for the taxonomy of the group. Pollen grains were acetolysed, measured, described

Abstract Pollen release by Northern Hemisphere pine forests is well-documented yet little is known about its atmospheric layering. At what altitudes are these atmospheric layers and how do they influence pollen dispersal? To answer this, pollen concentrations were analysed using radiosonde soundings and LiDAR imagery over the Pamlico Sound, a large marine body at 35.4062° N, 76.3259° W between coastal

Abstract Pollen morphology of 19 taxa of the genus Plantago was studied and documented in detail using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The pollen grains are small to medium-sized (P = 18.7‒44.0 µm, E = 13.7‒34.2 µm), prolate-spheroidal to prolate (P/E = 1.05‒1.54 µm) in shape and pantoporate. Based on SEM observations of tectum ornamentation, three groups of taxa can be distinguished: the Ovata

Abstract The pollen morphology of 16 species of Aechmea subgenus Ortgiesia is characterised, represented by 59 specimens including original data provided for A. kleinii, A. pimenti-velosoi, A. winkleri, Aechmea sp1 and Aechmea sp2. The pollen grains are monads, subisopolar, amb ellipsoidal, slightly flattened/convex in equatorial view, presenting some spheroidal pollen grains at a small percentage

In Italy, aerobiological monitoring is usually carried out by the regional agencies for environmental protection (ARPA [Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione Ambientale]) using volumetric samplers. Another widespread method for the study of airborne pollen is the analysis of moss cushions, generally used to relate pollen rain to flora and vegetation. In this study, we compare the data coming from these

In Brazil, the genus Calliandra Benth. (Caesalpinioideae; Leguminosae) comprises 74 species, of which 59 are endemic; the north-eastern region stands out as its largest dispersal centre. Calliandra species display a pollen dispersal unit (polyad) formed by eight calymmate, ellipsoid pollen grains, with a uniplanar arrangement and bilateral symmetry. Pollen units of native and ornamental Calliandra

Pollen in honey reflects its botanical origin and melissopalynology is used to identify origin, type, and quantities of pollen grains of the botanical species visited by bees. This study aimed to identify the pollen spectrum of honeys from Apis mellifera and stingless bees produced in the semi-arid region of Bahia, Brazil. We analysed 78 honey samples, which were submitted to the acetolysis process

Pollen morphology, ultrastructure and germination mode of Ibicella lutea was investigated and documented using light microscopy (LM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Ibicella pollen is clypeate, spheroidal, apolar, inaperturate, insulated, large, with an average diameter of 80 μm. The pollen wall is formed in the insula by two distinct layers; the outer

The airborne environment is a critical juncture linking terrestrial and aquatic habitats, yet the algae of this environment are not well-characterised and understood. The goal of this study was to examine seasonality patterns of airborne algae in a tropical environment. Airborne algae were collected monthly in spore traps on a building rooftop on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, U.S.A. from December 2015

Dioscorea is a highly diverse genus in Brazil, particularly the south-eastern region, and most especially in the Atlantic Forest. Recent phylogenetic studies have helped clarify the intricate subgeneric classification of the genus, although some species remain to be sampled, and further studies are necessary to ascertain their systematic placement in the genus. Here, a palynological description of

Sugars constitute the main component of bee-collected pollen, which may vary significantly among different pollen taxa according to their botanical origin and the surrounding vegetation. In this study, we investigated the significance of the pollen grain volume and exine sculpture on the sugars content of bee-collected pollen. We analysed the sugar content of 30 monofloral pollen pellets using high-performance

The Fundão Dam breach, in November 2015 in Mariana (20º 22ʹ 40″ S, 43º 24ʹ 58″ W), was considered, at that time, the largest environmental disaster in Brazilian history. Meliponiculture was one of the activities pointed out as a way to promote floristic recovery and to generate income for the population, in order to minimise the impact of the disaster. The objective of this work was to identify the

This study analysed the pollen present in honey samples collected from colonies of stingless bees (Meliponini) from the meliponary of the Nova América community of the Sateré Mawé tribe, located on the Maruá River, Maués municipality, Amazonas state, Brazil (03° 39ʹ 45.00″ S, 57° 20ʹ 17.99″ W). Collections were made directly from honey storage pots. A total of 47 pollen types were identified, belonging

The continued investigation of the middle Miocene palynoflora from the Lavanttal Basin reveals numerous additional angiosperm taxa. The Myrtales to Ericales pollen record documented here comprises 46 different taxa belonging to Onagraceae (Ludwigia), Ericaceae (Craigia, Reevesia, Tilia), Anacardiaceae (Pistacia), Rutaceae (Zanthoxylum), Sapindaceae (Acer), Santalaceae (Arceuthobium), Amaranthaceae

A total of 245 modern pollen samples available in the East Asian Pollen Database and our unpublished pollen data (n = 204 and 41, respectively) were compiled to determine the correlation between modern pollen rain and vegetation in the watershed regions along the upper and middle Yellow River (UMYR) using principle component analysis (PCA). Despite considerable geographical differences and an uneven

This article studies differences in the vitality (germination rate and pollen tube length) of fresh pollen and pollen stored at −20 °C for 14 years of Serbian spruce (Picea omorika [Pančić] Purkyne). Fresh pollen was sampled from 24 trees from a Serbian spruce seed stand area on the site of Bela zemlja (43° 48′ 32″ N, 19° 44′ 25″ E) in the area of Mount Zlatibor (Serbia) in two successive years. Six

We have conducted the study of ultrastructural changes of wall and cytoplasm of Plantago lanceolata (English plantain) pollen grains during the first 10 min of hydration and activation processes, prior to germination, and localisation of Pla l 1, the major allergen of these pollen grains with immunocytochemical methods. The samples were fixed using conventional and freezing protocols for transmission

The first pollen study for the solitary bee Ancyloscelis apiformes (Emphorini) in a nest aggregation in the Central Amazon was made in October 2012 at the Sucupira apiary in east Manaus, Amazonas, at 03° 00ʹ 05″ S, 59° 51ʹ 05″ W. A total of 15 samples/nests (N1–N15) were analysed, including intact pollen loads (stored inside the nest) and post-emergence residues, which were acetolysed and mounted in

In Euphorbiaceae tribe Hippomaneae is the pantropical genus Microstachys, comprised by 24 species, mostly from Brazil. Palynological studies with several representatives of the genus are scarce. The purpose of this study was to describe the pollen morphology of Microstachys and find possible differentiating characteristics between its species. Ten species of the genus were analysed, represented by

The stigma (tip of the pistil) of medlar is wet and covered with stigmatic exudate at anthesis. The exudate contains many vesicles with abundant calcium precipitates. After deposition on the stigma, the pollen grain undergoes hydration, displaying signs of calcium ion (Ca2+) transfer from the exudate vesicles into the pollen grains. Calcium precipitates in the pollen cytoplasm are concentrated into

The genus Basella belongs to family Basellaceae and is comprised of five species. Out of these, Basella alba is pantropical in distribution, B. paniculata is endemic to south-eastern Africa and the other three species viz. B. excavata, B. leandriana and B. madagascariensis are endemic to Madagascar. The palynological study of an organic layer buried ~80 ka in Chaganacherry, Kerala revealed a rich diversity

Honey is increasingly being used as a food supplement and to treat various diseases and disorders in Ghana. Information on floral nectar preferences of foraging honeybees is, therefore, imperative to increase production to keep pace with demand. However, in Ghana, these floral nectar preferences are yet to be investigated and identified. This study was conducted to determine bee forage sources in the

Palaeoclimatic reconstructions from sediment cores of the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and other terrestrial ecosystems including lakes, peatlands and proglacial areas from the Indian subcontinent have been used to understand the past Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) variability. The core monsoon zone (CMZ) of India is one of the most important regions to understand past ISM dynamics. Pollen based palaeoclimatic

Pollen sculpture elements of four Rhododendron species from 49 populations were studied using scanning electron microscopy. The sculpture in the polar areas of the studied taxa pollen differed in type, shape, size, and distribution of individual elements. There were five sculpture types identified. The pollen of Rhododendron ledebourii from various populations in Altai revealed sculpture elements characteristic

Microsporongium development in Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) was investigated using cytochemical methods with a special attention to the fluctuations (in amount and distribution) of polysaccharide and lipid reserves along the development of the microsporangium. Semi-thin sections of microsporangia at different developmental stages were stained with periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) reagent and Sudan

Astragalus is with nearly 3000 described species the largest genus of flowering plants. So far analyses of pollen characters have only been conducted for a few species of the groups within the genus. Here we analyse pollen grains of 22 species representative for Astragalus section Hymenostegis using scanning electron microscopy. We found the basic shape of the pollen grains to be oblate-spheroidal

Pollen ontogeny and sporoderm development in Aristolochia manshuriensis were studied for elaboration of the inaperturete pollen ontogeny in Aristolochia. Despite the formation of apertures in the tetrad period, the sporoderm in A. manshuriensis becomes inaperturate at the end of the free microspore period. A similar immature exine is also detected in A. macrophylla. Variants of aperture formation in

The pollen spectra of air and surface soil samples from a rooftop (at 14 m) and from ground level (at 1.6 m) in the suburbs of Vienna (Austria) were compared. Two soil samples and two air samples were taken on four different days to account for possible differences: in winter when no pollination occurred (reference day), in spring during the main flowering of Betula (birch day), in spring/summer during

Pollen analysis was applied to study the botanical composition of honey and pollen stored by Melipona orbignyi in its southernmost distributional range. Many studies have revealed that robust buzzing bees of this genus are associated with diverse plant families, some of which are different to those exploited by the remaining genera of Meliponini. Cluster analysis was performed to assess similarity

The genera Eriosema and Rhynchosia, which comprise approximately 150 and 230 species, respectively, belong to the tribe Phaseoleae and to the subtribe Cajaninae. The pollen morphology of 49 species of Eriosema and 13 of Rhynchosia were studied using scanning electron microscopy to identify diagnostic characteristics that could aid in the taxonomic circumscription of those genera. The pollen grains

The pantropical Picrodendraceae produce mostly spheroidal to slightly oblate, echinate pollen grains equipped with narrow circular to elliptic pori that can be hard to identify to family level in both extant and fossil material using light microscopy only. Fossil pollen of the family have been described from the Paleogene of America, Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe, but until now none

(2019). 45. Zugspitzplatt, Wetterstein Mountains (Germany) Grana: Vol. 58, No. 5, pp. 396-398.