Palynological characterisation of palm honey (Sabal yapa) produced in Yucatan (Mexico)

Abstract The palm honey (Sabal yapa C. Wright ex Becc.) (Sabal honey henceforth) is one of 22 unifloral honeys recognised in the Yucatan Peninsula. This honey is harvested in February and March when Sabal yapa bloom but encompasses other important melliferous plants during the harvest season. A melissopalynological study of 24 honey samples from Tizimín, Yucatan (Mexico) was used to determine if Sabal honey is monofloral or multifloral, and to investigate the pollen contribution of other plants. Consequently, we determined the plant resources foraged by Apis mellifera. After analysis, 54 different pollen types were identified with the number of pollen types per honey sample ranging between nine and 21, with a mean of 14.75. Asteraceae and Fabaceae were the most diverse families and represented the highest percentage of contribution in pollen spectra. Sabal yapa pollen had a mean content of 56.9% (with a range of 45.4% to 84%). Bursera simaruba, Haematoxylum campechianum, Piscidia piscipula and Viguiera dentata were categorised as secondary pollen. Important minor pollen corresponded to Caesalpinia gaumeri, Ceiba pentandra, Pisonia aculeata, Thouinia paucidentata, and Trixis inula. Pollen composition revealed details of not only the rich native flora that accompanies Sabal yapa, but traditional human activities that occur around the apiaries. As expected, pollen of nectariferous species predominate in the samples, but also a number of nectarless species were found. Honeybees foraged mostly in trees present in remnants of primary vegetation, or at its different succession stages. Sabal honey could be labelled as monofloral.