A melissopalynological study was made to classify the botanical and geographical origin of 21 samples of commercial Uruguayan honeys. Sixty-six pollen types were found; 67% of the samples were unifloral. The taxa with the greatest frequencies (> 15% of pollen in each sample) were Lotus corniculatus, Eucalyptus spp., Echium plantagineum, Scutia buxifolia and Baccharis spp. The taxa with highest occurrence (present in > 85% of samples) were Eucalyptus spp., Trifolium pratense, L.corniculatus, Schinus molle-type, Baccharis spp., Trifolium repens, Echium plantagineum, Eryngium spp., Scutia buxifolia, Salix humboldtiana and Poaceae. Forty-eight percent of the pollen taxa were endemic to the Americas; the majority of the other taxa were from Europe. The Uruguayan honeys we analysed typically contained pollen from the native Schinus molle type, Baccharis spp., Eryngium spp., Scutia buxifolia and Salix humboldtiana, together with pollen from the introduced Eucalyptus spp., L. corniculatus, T. pratense, T. repens and Echium plantagineum.
 

pollen, melissopalynology, honey, melliferous flora, bee forage, Uruguay

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