pollen
POL-uhn
/ˈpɒl.ən/
A fine powdery substance produced by the male anthers of seed plants, containing male gametes.
The reproductive powder carried by wind, bees, or animals to fertilize plants.
The story behind the word. Directly from Latin 'pollen', which meant 'fine dust' or 'fine flour'. Ancient botanists picked up the word in the 18th century because flower dust under a magnifying glass looks like fine milled flour.
Word relationships
- microspores: Technical biological term for pollen grains in seed plants.
Commonly confused with
- nectar: Nectar is sweet liquid reward sugar produced by flowers; pollen is reproductive dust.
Word family
- pollinate (verb): To transfer pollen to a stigma or flower fertilizing it.
- pollination (noun): The process of transferring pollen between flowers.
Collocations
- pollen count
- pollen grain
- pollen allergy
- pollen transfer
Example sentences
- "Bees collect yellow pollen on their legs as they hop between apple blossoms." Ecological observation
- "High spring pollen counts cause seasonal allergies for millions of people." Health news report
Memory hook
POLLEN is dusty POLLender that floating bees carry. Fine fertilizing flower dust.
When not to use
Do not confuse pollen with seeds or spores; pollen must fertilize an ovule before a seed can form.
Fun facts
- Pollen grains are so extremely durable that fossilized pollen millions of years old allows geologists to map prehistoric forests!
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