Pollen production in selected species of anemophilous plants

Abstract

In the study, structural features of flowers of the following allergenic plant species were analysed: <i>Betula verrucosa</i>, <i>Secale cereale</i>, <i>Rumex acetosella</i>, <i>Plantago major</i> and <i>Artemisia vulgaris</i>. Pollen production was established by calculating the number of pollen grains produced by the stamen, flower and inflorescence. The dates of occurrence and pollen grains concentration in the air of Lublin were determined. A positive correlation was found between the length of anthers and the number of pollen grains produced. The largest number of pollen grains per anther is produced by Secale cereale (22 360), whereas the smallest one by Plantago major (5 870). The other species produced intermediate numbers of pollen grains in the anther: <i>Betula verrucosa</i> - 11 160, <i>Rumex acetosella</i> - 10 850, <i>Artemisia vulgaris</i> - 9 580. The birch pollen season in Lublin lasts about a month, and pollen of this taxon reaches the highest airborne concentrations among the studied taxa. Low values of pollen concentrations are characteristic for rye and plantain, whereas slightly higher values are recorded for sorrel pollen. Mugwort pollen reaches high concentrations which are noted at the beginning of August.