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This paper presents the course of the pollen season of selected allergenic taxa (Rumex spp., Plantago spp., Urtica spp. and Chenopodiaceae) in two towns with different degrees of urbanisation (urban, the city Szczecin, and rural, the village Gudowo in Western Pomerania, northwest Poland). The study was conducted in the years 2012–2014 with the volumetric method. The pollen of allergenic herbaceous plants was present in the air from early May until the end of September. From among the taxa studied, the genus Rumex is characterised by the longest pollination period, while the genus Urtica by the shortest. The highest percentage contribution of pollen grains to the total pollen count in the air reaching over 90% is from nettle. The pollen seasons determined for the majority of taxa are longer in the city, however the mean pollen grain counts in the air are higher for the rural area.

This paper is part of an investigation dedicated to indoor pollen from a forensic point of view. Previous studies documented the ‘natural’ pollen content of a flat and how it was ‘artificially’ altered by ornamental plants. The present study investigated if this ‘artificial pollen trace’ can be transferred to shoes. Brand new sneakers were worn in the flat and afterwards examined for pollen on their soles. The results showed that the shoes gathered pollen and that some pollen types correlated to those found in the flat. Afterwards, some of these shoes were worn while walking through the city for approximately 1.8 km. On these shoes, flat pollen was also detectable, but in low abundances. This study shows that, from a palynological point of view, shoes are worth a look at when a crime is investigated. Uncommon pollen grains on shoes can point to an indoor location with the corresponding ornamental plants.