This catalogue has been developed to provide a resource for analysts identifying pollen in New Zealand honeys or other bee products. Images of pollen have been taken at high magnification (using a 100x oil immersion objective), usually of both acetolysed and unacetolysed material mounted in glycerine jelly. In some cases only acetolysed material has been available. Some specimens are stained with either safranin or crystal violet. The scale of reproduction is not uniform, but scale bars on images are all 10 microns long unless otherwise noted. Microscope slides for all specimens are curated in the collections of GNS Science. Plant classification follows that of Nga Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants, a database maintained by Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research. For the most part, this uses traditional family names according to Mabberley (2008). Some recent changes to names may not have been expressed.
In the descriptions and key, morphological characters of the pollen grains have been described in an adaptation of a scheme originally developed by Sawyer (1981, 1988). The new scheme is described in Raine et al (2022). This arrangement is simpler than one which might be devised by a specialist pollen morphologist, but has been designed to cope with pollen grains preserved in honey. These retain their cellulosic inner cell wall (intine) and their protoplasm, which are usually destroyed by the chemical treatment (acetolysis) employed by morphologists to clarify the outer cell wall (exine). Such grains are commonly smaller and more compact in shape than those treated by acetolysis: the morphological coding reflects this condition. Acetolysis is avoided in honey pollen analysis as it can remove some important non-pollen microscopic constituents of honey, such as starch grains and yeast cells.
The web-based descriptions are supplemented by an interactive identification key which uses the LUCID software system.
The New Zealand Bee Pollen Catalogue illustrates pollen grains sourced from plants that have been observed to be visited by bees, and is based mostly on specimens represented by herbarium voucher material identified by botanical specialists. We aim eventually to include pollen from plants representing the species, genera, or families identified in New Zealand honey by Moar (1985) and Mildenhall & Tremain (2005), and those listed as nectar or pollen sources by Winter (1975), Walsh (1978), Butz Huryn (1995), and Matheson & Reid (2011) as well as those encountered in our own researches. Usually pollen can be identified only to a "pollen type" which represents a plant family, genus, or species group, seldom a single species. At present the catalogue encompasses representative species included in more than 120 of the most common pollen types encountered by us in honey and bee pollen loads.
Taxa are arranged alphabetically by family.
MAGNOLIOPSIDA (flowering plants)
Adoxaceae
• Sambucus nigra L. [elderberry]
• Viburnum tinus L. [laurustinus]
Aizoaceae
• Mesembryanthemum sp. [iceplant]
Alseuosmiaceae
• Alseuosmia macrophylla A.Cunn.
[toropapa, karapapa]
Amaranthaceae
• Chenopodium album L. [fat-hen]
Araliaceae
• Hedera helix L. [ivy]
• Pseudopanax arboreus (L. f.) K.Koch
[whauwhaupaku, five-finger]
• Schefflera digitata J.R.Forst. &
G.Forst. [patē, seven-finger]
Asparagaceae
• Cordyline fruticosa (L.) A.Chev. [ti
pore, Pacific cabbage tree]
Asphodeleaceae
• Phormium cookianum Le Jol. [wharariki,
coastal flax]
• Phormium tenax J.R.Forst. &
G.Forst. [harakeke, NZ flax]
Asteliaceae
• Astelia fragrans Colenso [horahora,
coastal astelia]
Atherospermataceae
• Laurelia novae-zelandiae A.Cunn.
[pukatea]
Berberidaceae
• Berberis darwinii Hook. [Darwin's
barberry]
Boraginaceae
• Borago officinalis L. [borage]
• Echium vulgare L. [viper's
bugloss]
• Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth. [lacy
phacelia]
Buxaceae
• Buxus sempervirens L. [box]
Caprifoliaceae
• Leycesteria formosa Wall. [Himalaya
honeysuckle]
Caryophyllaceae
• Spergularia media (L.) C.Presl [sea
spurrey]
• Stellaria parviflora Hook. f. [NZ
chickweed]
Chloranthaceae
• Ascarina lucida Hook. f. [hutu]
Cistaceae
• Helianthemum nummularium (L.) Mill.
[rock rose]
Compositae
• Carduus nutans L. [nodding
thistle]
• Crepis vesicaria L. [beaked
hawksbeard]
• Olearia paniculata (J.R.Forst. &
G.Forst.) Druce [akiraho]
• Taraxacum officinale F.H.Wigg.
[dandelion]
Convolvulaceae
• Convolvulus cneorum L.
[silverbush]
Coriariaceae
• Coriaria arborea Linds. [tutu]
Corynocarpaceae
• Corynocarpus sp. [karaka]
Crassulaceae
• Sedum maximum (L.) Suter
[stonecrop]
Cruciferae
• Brassica napus L. [rape, canola,
swede]
• Eruca vesicaria (L.) Cav.
[rocket]
Cunoniaceae
• Eucryphia moorei F.Muell. [pinkwood
(Australia)]
• Weinmannia racemosa L. f.
[kamahi]
• Weinmannia sylvicola Sol. ex
A.Cunn. [tawhero, towai]
Cyperaceae
• Cyperus ustulatus A.Rich. [giant
umbrella sedge]
Elaeocarpaceae
• Aristotelia fruticosa Hook.f. [mountain
wineberry]
• Elaeocarpus dentatus J.R.Forst &
G.Forst) Vahl [hinau]
Ericaceae
• Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull [ling,
scottish heather]
• Erica lusitanica Rudolphi [spanish
heath]
• Leucopogon fasciculatus G. Forst (A.
Rich.) [mingimingi]
• Leucopogon fraseri A. Cunn. [dwarf
mingimingi]
Geraniaceae
• Geranium molle L. [dove's-foot
cranebill]
• Pelargonium inodorum Willd.
[kopata]
Gramineae
• Lolium perenne L. [perennial
ryegrass]
Griseliniaceae
• Griselinia lucida J.R.Forst. &
G.Forst. [puka]
Grossulariaceae
• Ribes sanguineum Pursh [flowering
currant]
Hypericaceae
• Hypericum perforatum L.
[goatweed]
Juglandaceae
• Juglans sp. [walnut]
• Pterocarya rhoifolia Siebold &
Zucc. [japanese wing-nut, sawagurumi]
Labiatae
• Origanum vulgare L. [oregano]
• Rosmarinus officinalis L.
[rosemary]
• Thymus vulgaris L. [common
thyme]
• Vitex lucens Kirk [puriri]
Leguminosae
• Acacia melanoxylon R.Br.
[blackwood]
• Chamaecytisus palmensis (H.Christ)
F.A.Bisby & K.W.Nicholls [tagasaste]
• Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link
[broom]
• Gleditsia triacanthos L. [honey
locust]
• Lotus spp. [trefoils]
• Medicago sativa L. [lucerne]
• Sophora sp. [kowhai]
• Trifolium pratense L. [red
clover]
• Trifolium repens L. [white
clover]
• Ulex europaeus L. [gorse]
Loganiaceae
• Geniostoma ligustrifolium A.Cunn.
[hangehange]
Malvaceae
• Hoheria sexstylosa Colenso
[houhere]
Monimiaceae
• Hedycarya arborea J.R.Forst. &
G.Forst. [kaiwhiri, pigeonwood]
Myrtaceae
• Eucalyptus spp. [eucalypts, gum
trees]
• Kunzea spp. [kanuka]
• Leptospermum scoparium J.R.Forst. &
G.Forst. [manuka]
• Lophomyrtus bullata (Sol. ex A.Cunn.)
Burret [ramarama]
• Melaleuca squarrosa Donn ex Sm.
[scented paperbark]
• Metrosideros robusta A.Cunn.
[rata]
Nothofagaceae
• Fuscospora fusca (Hook. f.) Heenan
& Smissen [red beech]
• Lophozonia menziesii (Hook. f.) Heenan
& Smissen [silver beech]
Oleaceae
• Ligustrum sinense Lour. [Chinese
privet]
• Nestegis cunninghamii (Hook.f.)
L.A.S.Johnson [maire]
Onagraceae
• Fuchsia excorticata (J.R.Forst. &
G.Forst.) L.f. [kotukutuku, fuchsia]
Palmae
• Rhopalostylis sapida H.Wendl. &
Drude [nikau]
Pandanaceae
• Freycinetia banksii A.Cunn.
[kiekie]
Paracryphiaceae
• Quintinia serrata A.Cunn. [kumarahou,
tawheowheo]
Pennantiaceae
• Pennantia corymbosa J.R.Forst. &
G.Forst. [kaikomako]
Piperaceae
• Piper excelsum G.Forst.
[kawakawa]
Pittosporaceae
• Pittosporum eugenioides A.Cunn.
[tarata]
Plantaginaceae
• Plantago lanceolata L. [English
plantain]
• Veronica salicifolia G.Forst.
[koromiko]
• Veronica persica Poir. [creeping
speedwell]
Polygonaceae
• Fagopyrum esculentum Moench
[buckwheat]
• Muehlenbeckia complexa (A.Cunn.)
Meisn. [small-leaved pohuehue]
• Persicaria maculosa Gray [persicaria,
willow weed]
• Rumex acetosella L. [sheep's
sorrel]
Primulaceae
• Myrsine divaricata A.Cunn. [weeping
mapou]
Proteaceae
• Knightia excelsa R.Br.
[rewarewa]
Ranunculaceae
• Clematis foetida Raoul
[clematis]
• Ranunculus spp. [buttercups]
Rhamnaceae
• Ceanothus papillosus Torr. & A.Gray
[Californian lilac]
• Discaria toumatou Raoul
[matagouri]
• Pomaderris kumeraho A.Cunn.
[kumarahou]
Rosaceae
• Acaena profundeincisa (Bitter)
B.H.Macmill.
• Cotoneaster salicifolius Franch.
[willowleaf cotoneaster]
• Crataegus monogyna Jacq.
[hawthorn]
• Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill.
[crabapple]
• Potentilla fruticosa L. [shrubby
cinquefoil]
• Prunus persica (L.) Batsch
[peach]
• Rubus fruticosus L.
[blackberry]
• Sorbus aucuparia L. [rowan]
Rubiaceae
• Coprosma lucida J.R.Forst. &
G.Forst. [kakaramu]
Rutaceae
• Melicope ternata J.R.Forst. &
G.Forst. [wharangi]
• Nematolepis squamea (Labill.) Paul
G.Wilson [satinwood]
Salicaceae
• Populus spp. [poplars]
• Salix x fragilis L. [crack
willow]
Sapindaceae
• Acer tataricum L. [Tatarian
maple]
• Alectryon excelsus Gaertn.
[titoki]
• Dodonaea viscosa Jacq. [akeake]
Scrophulariaceae
• Myoporum laetum G.Forst.
[ngaio]
Solanaceae
• Solanum laciniatum Aiton
[poroporo]
Strasburgeriaceae
• Ixerba brexioides A.Cunn.
[tawari]
Umbelliferae
• Daucus carota L. [carrot, wild
carrot]
• Foeniculum vulgare Mill.
[fennel]
Violaceae
• Melicytus ramiflorus J.R.Forst. &
G.Forst. [mahoe]
PINOPSIDA (coniferous plants)
Cupressaceae
• Cupressus macrocarpa Hartw.
[macrocarpa, Monterey cypress]
Pinaceae
• Pinus radiata D.Don [radiata pine,
Monterey pine]
Podocarpaceae
• Dacrycarpus dacrydioides (A.Rich.) de
Laub. [kahikatea, white pine]
• Dacrydium cupressinum Sol. ex
G.Forst. [rimu, red pine]
• Phyllocladus trichomanoides G.Benn
ex D.Don [tanekaha, celery pine]
• Podocarpus totara D.Don
[totara]
• Prumnopitys ferruginea (G.Benn
ex D.Don) de Laub. [miro, brown pine]
We thank Sonja Fry and Roger Tremain for assistance in preparation of pollen reference material. Initial development of this catalogue was funded by the GNS Science Strategic Development Fund. The present edition was completed with funding from New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries Sustainable Farming Fund. Pollen descriptions are produced from a DELTA database (Dallwitz 1980; Dallwitz et al. 1993, 1999), and the interactive key from LUCID software.
Cite this publication as:
"J.I. Raine, X. Li, L. Newstrom-Lloyd (2022).
New Zealand bee pollen catalogue.
"
© GNS Science, 2022
(GNS Science, P.O. Box
30368 Lower Hutt, New Zealand)