Melissopalynological Studies from Kalakad-mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR), Southern Western Ghats, India

Pollen analysis of four honey samples (IK, KH, KK and TP) from Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) was undertaken to determine the floral source and to identify the pollen types in order to find the ecological origin of honey sample. The honey samples were collected from the honey comb remnants of Apis cerana, Apis dorsata and Trigona iridipennis honey bee species during 2008 - 2010 at different locations of Mundanthurai Range, KMTR. A total of 26 pollen types belonging to 21 angiosperm families and one gymnosperm family (Gnetaceae) were identified. The most commonly represented pollen types in the honey samples are Mallotus, Syzygium and Trema. The occurrence of semievergreen and wet evergreen pollen types in the honey samples such as Calophyllum, Elaeocarpus, Gnetum, Myristica and Strobilanthes determine the ecological origin of the honey.