What Is a Pollen Grain?

Run your finger across the center of a flower. The light dust that sticks to your fingertip is pollen. Each grain of pollen is one individual bit of plant DNA. The particles resemble a sycamore ball: round and prickly with deep fissures. Most pollen is so fine that it is measured in microns. Microns are millionths of a meter. Without pollen, there would be no fruits or nuts. A pinch of pollen contains thousands of grains.

Purpose

Pollen exists to transport male plant DNA from one flower to another, known as cross-pollination, or from the stamen of a plant to the pistil of that same plant (self-pollination). Once pollen is deposited on the female portion of the plant, a seed is fertilized. These seeds will grow into fruits or nuts.

Self-Pollination

Some plants are able to pollinate themselves because the anthers are taller than the stigma, allowing the plant's own pollen to drift down into the stigma, which is a tube protecting the ovum, or female DNA of the plant. When the pollen reaches the ovum, it is fertilized and forms a fruit, nut or catkin.

Cross-Pollination

Cross pollination happens when wind, insects, birds or animals carry pollen from one flower to another. Wind-borne pollen is responsible for most hay fever symptoms. Individual wind-borne pollen grains are extremely small. They are easily drawn deep into your nasal passages and lungs, causing itchy, watering eyes, runny nose, coughs and sneezing.

Health Benefits of Pollen

Pollen is 35% protein. This makes pollen a useful additive in a vegetarian diet. It provides high concentrations of B-complex vitamins, and vitamins A, C, D, and E. Pollen also contains beta carotene, selenium and lecithin. Unfortunately, due to the risk of provoking an allergy attack, pollen should not be used by anyone who has allergies or asthma.

Pollen as a Flavor Enhancer

One type of pollen, saffron, is used in cooking to make Indian curry. Saffron, which is the pollen of the spring-blooming crocus flower, is gathered by collecting the pollen-laden stigmas and drying them. Both the pollen grains and the stigma fibers are added to rice, giving it a warm, golden color and a toasted chicken broth flavor.

Resources

• Tips for Avoiding Pollen