12 Questions
What factors affect the pollinating periods of plants?
Geographic locations, severity of winters, and similar factors
How can pollen grains be distinguished and identified?
Due to their heterogeneous nature, pollen grains can be distinguished and identified without difficulty.
What is the determining factor in pollen grain identification?
The surface appearance of the exine
What are the main differences between anemophilous and entomophilous pollens?
Anemophilous pollens are small, light, nonadhesive, and relatively smooth, while entomophilous pollens are larger, heavier, adhesive, and may be spiny.
What is the characteristic of wind-pollinated flowers?
They are rarely colored and are generally not fragrant.
What is a common source of inhalant allergens in the home?
Cotton pillowcases, sheets, and blankets that shed 'linters' or fragments of cotton
What is the common term used to describe the symptoms of an inhalant allergen, including itching, lacrimation, and swelling of the nose and eyes?
hayfever
What is the term used to describe the condition caused by the release of pollen grains from certain plants?
pollinosis
What is the term used to describe the condition caused by inhalants other than pollens, such as mold spores or dust?
perennial rhinitis
What is the typical duration of the tree pollen season in the United States?
February to June
What is the typical duration of the ragweed pollen season in the United States?
First week of August to mid-October
What is the significance of determining the exact dates of symptoms in a person with seasonal hayfever?
It gives a clue to the type of pollen grains responsible for the allergy
Study Notes
Allergy Symptoms
- Symptoms of inhalant allergens include lacrimation, itching, swelling of nose and eyes
Hayfever
- Also known as sinusitis or pollinosis
- Term "hayfever" originated by John Bostock in England over a century ago
- Can be seasonal or nonseasonal
- Seasonal hayfever typically occurs during certain months of the year
- Nonseasonal hayfever (perennial rhinitis) can occur at any time of the year
Pollen Seasons
- Three well-defined pollen seasons exist in most of the United States:
- Tree season in spring, February to June
- Grass season in late spring and early summer, April to August
- Ragweed season in late summer and early fall, August to mid-October
Pollen Grains
- Can be distinguished and identified easily due to their heterogeneous nature
- Shapes: round, oval, angular, square, rectangular, etc.
- Can be single, 2-compound, 3-compound, tetrads, etc.
- Germinal apertures: acolpate (no pores), multicolpate (many pores), or in between
- Outer wall (exine) and inner wall (intine) have distinct characteristics
- Surface appearance of exine is characteristic and important for identification
- Can be smooth (psilate), spiny (echinate), or have intervening gradations (reticulate, granulate, lophate)
Atmospheric Pollens
- Liberated by anemophilous (wind-pollinated) plants
- Small (15-45 μm in diameter), light, nonadhesive, and relatively smooth
- Examples of anemophilous plants: trees (oak, walnut), grasses (Bermuda grass, timothy), and weeds (ragweed, plantain)
Entomophilous Pollens
- From entomophilous (insect-pollinated) plants
- Larger (up to 200 μm in diameter), heavier, adhesive, and may be spiny
- Examples of entomophilous plants: scented, colored flowers (clover, hollyhock, honeysuckle, rose)
Nonseasonal Hayfever
- Can occur throughout the year or at several periods during the year
- Allergic symptoms can be caused by inhalant allergens in the home, workplace, or specific locations
- Examples of inhalant allergens: cotton linters, dust, animal epidermis or dander, feathers, etc.
Identify the symptoms of hayfever or sinusitis caused by inhalant allergens and understand the origin of the term 'hayfever'.
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