Pollen image identification Flashcards
Chenopod
Lambsquater (Chenopodium)
Wingscale / saltbush (Atriplex)
Kochia (burning bush)
Russian thistle (Salsola) – most important cause of hay fever of the chenopods
Pigweed (Amaranthus)
aka Careless weed
Looks very similar to chenopods
Chenopods and amaranths have significant cross-reactivity
Grass
Ragweed (Ambrosia)
Part of the Composites (Asteraceae)
Sage & Mugwort (Artemisia)
Oral allergy = mugwort celery – peach – mustard
Cocklebur (Xanthium)
Nettle (Urticaceae)
Plantain (Plantago)
has donut appearance
Dock or Sorrel (Rumex)
Ash
Ash / Olive / Privet / Russian Olive
Birch
Birch / Alder / Hazelnut / Hornbeam
Three pores (triporate) protruding from the surface, each of which contains a collar (oncus).
May appear like a lemon, if only two pores are visible
Oak pollen
(Oak, Beech, and Chestnut (Fagaceae))
Oak pollen is triangular-shaped with three germinal furrows that appear as white “pie slices” slightly protruding from the surface.
Sycamore (Plantanaceae)
Round grains, with three furrows and a thin exine that is finely reticulate
Maple and Box Elder (Aceraceae) pollen.
Grains contain three furrows, like oak; but, are generally round and may have a “beach ball” appearance
Pine (Pinaceae)
Mickey Mouse Cap
Elm (Ulmaceae)
American elm pollinates in the spring, while several other elms pollinate in the fall
**Only two types of trees pollenate outside of spring
- Three species of elm
- Mountain Cedar (Cupressaceae)
Sweetgum (Hamamelidaceae) pollen.
Periporate, with 12-20 pores per grain that often bulges, suggesting a “soccer ball” appearance.
Elm
Mountain cedar pollen
Thick intine with stellate cytoplasmic contents and an exine, which can break and look like Pac-Man
Mountain cedar pollen (broken)
Thick intine with stellate cytoplasmic contents and an exine, which can break and look like Pac-Man
Cottonwood (Salicaceae) pollen
Poplar, Willow, and Cottonwood (Salicaceae) pollen.
Poplar and cottonwood have round grains, each with an outer surface that is granular and often appears “cracked” or “flaky” ; but, there are no furrows.
By contrast, willow has three furrows and a reticulate pattern on the pollen wall.
Willows are entomophilous and not considered allergenically important; however, they are medically important since aspirin is made from their bark.
Poplars are anemophilous and produce significant allergenic pollen throughout North America.
Willow has three furrows and a reticulate pattern on the pollen wall.
Willows are entomophilous and not considered allergenically important; however, they are medically important since aspirin is made from their bark.
Walnut
Walnut, Hickory, and Pecan (Juglandaceae) pollen.
Walnut is periporate, with 9-15 slightly raised germinal pores;
Hickory and pecan are indistinguishable, with each containing three nonprotruding pores
Pecan (Juglandaceae) pollen.
Walnut, Hickory, and Pecan (Juglandaceae) pollen.
Hickory and pecan are indistinguishable, with each containing three nonprotruding pores
Walnut is periporate, with 9-15 slightly raised germinal pores;
Mulberry (Moraceae)
Grains are small (i.e., 11-20 μm), thin-walled, and usually diporate with onci, giving the appearance of a light, pinkish lemon
Pores are slightly raised or aspirated (“shield-shaped”).
Acacia pollen
Mimosa, Acacia, Locust, and Mesquite (Leguminosae)
Pollen grains may exist as monads or polyads, with the polyads usually having either 4 or 16 quadrangular grains in a group
Cladosporium.
The most abundant spores in temperate areas of the world.
Asexual spore often noted in air sample in chains.
Individual conidia range from 6-25 μm in length.
Variations in shape, including hot dog, cylindrical, and spherical
Dry day spore; also prevalent indoors (due to high outdoor concentrations)
Alternaria
Club-shaped w/ multicellular break (20-75 um)
Prevalent outdoors as dry day mold spore
Alternaria has been associated w/ severe asthma and life threatening exacerbations as well as hay fever
Likes decaying plants
High prevalence in grain-growing areas
Epicoccum
Dark, golden brown with warts on the surface
Round, multicellular, and dry day spores
Aspergillus
Common, indoor mold spore; asexual
Spherical to oval spores which can e single or in chains
Can produce mycotoxins → cause ABPA
Penicillium
Common, indoor mold spore
Distinctive structure (conidiophore) looks like a pain brush
**In Latin, “penicillus” means paint brush
May produce mycotoxins → cause hypersensitvity pneumonitis (HP)
Can also cause extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA) in cheese workers
Helminthosporium. Helminthosporium, Drechslera, Bipolaris, and Exserohilum Group
Fusarium
Colorless, wet, day spore with three to seven transverse septa
Spindle-shaped and curved, with tapered ends
Ascomycota
Rainy day sexual spore, with wide range of shape and size that forms in an ascus or sac
Usually eight ascospores to an ascus
Basidiomycota
Common mushroom, bracket fungi, and puffball spores.
Rainy day spores with wide range of shape, size, and color.
Always single-celled
Smut spores
Abundant in agricultural areas
May have a smooth, spiny, or reticulate wall
