Palynological characterisation of palm honey (<i>Sabal yapa</i>) produced in Yucatan (Mexico)

The palm honey (<i>Sabal yapa</i> C. Wright ex Becc.) (<i>Sabal</i> honey henceforth) is one of 22 unifloral honeys recognised in the Yucatan Peninsula. This honey is harvested in February and March when <i>Sabal yapa</i> 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 <i>Sabal</i> honey is monofloral or multifloral, and to investigate the pollen contribution of other plants. Consequently, we determined the plant resources foraged by <i>Apis mellifera</i>. 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. <i>Sabal yapa</i> pollen had a mean content of 56.9% (with a range of 45.4% to 84%). <i>Bursera simaruba</i>, <i>Haematoxylum campechianum, Piscidia piscipula</i> and <i>Viguiera dentata</i> were categorised as secondary pollen. Important minor pollen corresponded to <i>Caesalpinia gaumeri</i>, <i>Ceiba pentandra</i>, <i>Pisonia aculeata</i>, <i>Thouinia paucidentata</i>, and <i>Trixis inula</i>. Pollen composition revealed details of not only the rich native flora that accompanies <i>Sabal yapa</i>, 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. <i>Sabal</i> honey could be labelled as monofloral.