María Josefa Díez

Characterisation of Moroccan unifloral honeys by their physicochemical characteristics

Physicochemical parameters of 98 samples of Moroccan honeys were analysed; nine parameters were measured, including water content, pH, acidity (free, lactonic, total and lactonic acidity/free acidity ratio), hydroxymethylfurfural, diastase activity and proline. In addition, characterisation of the five unifloral honeys (Eucalyptus sp., Citrus sp., Lythrum sp., Apiaceae and honeydew) by principal component analysis (PCA) and stepwise discriminant analysis (SDA) was carried out. PCA showed that the cumulative variance was approximately 62%, and about 82% of the samples were correctly classified by using the stepwise discriminant analysis, with the best results being obtained for the eucalyptus and honeydew honeys (100% correct).

Pollen analysis of honeys from the Mamora forest region (NW Morocco)

The present work refers to the pollen analysis of 35 Moroccan honey samples from the Mamora forest region. The samples were directly provided by the beekeepers, all professionals. The quantitative analysis showed that nectar is the main honey source in the samples studied, and that most honeys have a medium-low presence of botanical elements (BEN). The qualitative analysis of the samples showed the presence of 54 taxa belonging to 29 families, and 31 of the samples were unifloral: 24 of eucalyptus, 3 of orange, 2 of Loeflingia, 1 of mint and 1 of Ridolfia segetum. The eucalyptus honeys of the studied region are characterized by their high content in pollen grains (NGP; x¯=180000) and their low honeydew indicator elements content (HDE; x¯=4000); Plantago f. (present in 70% of the samples), Quercus f. and Brassicaceae (50%) and Ceratonia siliqua (30%) could be mentioned among the characteristic accompanying species of this honey type.

Pollen morphology of spanish lithospermum s.l. (boraginaceae) and its taxonomic significance

Abstract The pollen morphology of 12 taxa belonging to four genera of Boraginaceae have been investigated by LM and SEM. The pollen grains vary from genus to genus, and even in some species. In general, the pollen grains are small, isopolar, sometimes subisopolar, colporate with four, five or more apertures; apertural membrane granular. Exine tectate, tectum psilate. The taxonomic implications of the pollen morphological features are discussed.

Palynological Characterisation of Euphorbia Honeys from Morocco

Pollen was analysed in 30 unifloral Euphorbia honey samples from the Ifni Massif Region (Anti Atlas, Morocco). The honey samples were directly provided by beekeepers. The quantitative analyis showed that nectar is the main honey source in the samples studied. The qualitative analysis of the samples showed the presence of 35 taxa belonging to 17 families. The Moroccan Euphorbia honeys of the studied region are characterized by their low—medium number of pollen grains (NGP; mean = 5700), 76% of the honeys belong to Class I and II of Maurizio, and by their low honeydew indicator (HDE/NGPn < 0.28), wich indicates their floral origin. For the Euphorbia officinarum subsp. echinus honeys, the most characteristic accompanying species are Eryngium ilicifolium, present in > 90% of the samples, followed by Bellis sp., Capsella f. and Reseda sp. (85%). However, for the E. regis-jubae honeys, the most characteristic accompanying species are Crepis f., present in 100% of the samples.

Study of plants visited by honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) in the Central Rif Region (N. Morocco) using pollen analysis

Quantitative pollen analyses of Moroccan honey samples provided by amateur beekeepers from the Central Rif region demonstrates that nectar is generally the main honey source, and that most honeys have a medium‐low presence of botanical elements. However, two samples reached values as high as 1.08–1.83 qualifying as honeydew honeys. Qualitative results yielded 60 pollen types belonging to 33 families. Ammi visnaga L., Mentha pulegium L., M. rotundifolia (L.) Hudson, Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. and Rubus ulmifolius Schott. were the main nectar sources, and Cistaceae, Poaceae, Cannabis sativa L. and grasses were exploited as a pollen source. When compared to the parent vegetation honeydew and mint sources are widely exploited, but other sources such as eucalyptus and heather are underutilised.

Palynological and cytological observations in Spanish Sonchus (Asteraceae)

Abstract The pollen morphology of the amphiploid species Sonchus oleraceus L. and its putative parents Sonchus tenerrimus L. and Sonchus asper (L.) Hill is investigated. The related taxa Sonchus microcephalus Mejias, probably derived from S: oleraceus, is also included. S. tenerrimus and S. asper mainly show 3-zonocolporate pollen and no significant differences in size and ornamentation have been detected between them. In S. oleraceus and S. microcephalus, 3- and 4-zonocolporate pollen can be found in the same sample, in very variable proportions, depending on the population; in addition, two different size morphs have been detected in some samples of S. oleraceus. It is proposed that the phenomenon reflects the chromosomal constitution in those species with an amphiploid origin.

Análisis polínico de mieles en el Parque Natural Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche

Se ha realizado el analisis microscopico de ocho muestras de miel del Parque Natural Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche. Las muestras fueron proporcionadas directamente por los apicultores. Los resultados reflejan que el nectar de las flores es la princi

Palynological and geographical characterisation of Spanish oak honeydew honeys

Abstract The emergent market for honeydew honey mostly in Europe has prompted increasing requirements by consumers and the honey industry for the characterisation of this type of honey. This work is a contribution to the limited knowledge of honeydew honeys in Spain. Botanical characterisation was performed on 59 honeydew honey samples from professional beekeepers hives distributed within Spain. The quantitative analysis reveals more than 75% of the samples belong to Maurizio Classes II and III, and that, in general, the Spanish Quercus honeydew honeys are characterised by medium high pollen grain content (Pn; mean = 285 197) and honeydew elements (HDEs; mean = 15 850). The analysis also resulted in the identification of spores of several fungal genera (Alternaria, Cladosporium, Drechslera, Geotrichum, Phithomyces, Stemhylium, Torula, Ulocladium and Venturia). All honey samples had a smaller ratio of honeydew elements to pollen grain content (mean HDE/Pn = 0.12), and for the majority of samples (93%) the ratio HDE/Pn was very low (< 0.3), suggesting that this traditional ratio value should not be considered as an indicator of honeydew honeys. The qualitative analysis of the samples showed the presence of 73 taxa belonging to 38 families. Pollen grains of Quercus f., Rubus ulmifloius f., Campanula erinus gr., Capsella f., Cytisus scoparius f., Echium plantagineum gr., Cistus ladanifer f. or Castanea sativa, and, to a lesser extent, those of Crepis f.,Eucalyptus f., Senecio f., Halimium f., Erica australis, Plantago f., Salix triandra gr. and Centaurea calcitrapa gr. are representative of Spanish oak honeydew honeys.