Pollen spectra of different unifloral honeys from La Palma (Canary Islands, Spain).

The pollen content of twenty-four unifloral honey samples from twelve different apiaries in La Palma (Canary Islands) was subjected to qualitative and quantitative melissopalynological analysis. The quantitative analysis showed that 4% of the honey belonged to Maurizio's Class I, 8% to Class II, 58% to Class III, 17% to Class IV and 13% to Class V. According to the qualitative analysis, eight honeys were typified as unifloral of Castanea sativa, five of Carlina salicifolia, three of Echium brevirame, three of Reseda luteola, two of Erica arborea, two of Lotus hillebrandii and one of Lamiaceae Origanum vulgare ssp. virens-type. No honeydew elements were found. 62 pollen types were identified belonging to 42 different families. There is no pollen type common to all samples but Foeniculum vulgare-type is present in 22 of the samples (91.7%) and the combination Cistus sp., Erica arborea, Aspalthium bituminosum, Origanum vulgare ssp. virens-type and Rumex sp. in 21 (87.5%). The organoleptic analysis indicated that they are of good quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]