Lime tree honey resources in Eurasia

Abstract

The genus Tilia, commonly known as linden, basswood (North America) or lime tree (Eurasia), was investigated as a resource for honey. This article describes the results of melissopalynological analysis of the role of lime tree (Tilia spp.) in honey from Eurasia. From a review of published palynological characteristics and using independently discovered data from lime tree honey in Europe and Asia, five resource zones were identified where lime tree honey is produced. The lowest levels of Tilia pollen grains (0–44%) are typical for samples of lime honey from western and southern Europe (henceforth resource zone 1, RZ 1). In central European countries (RZ 2), honey with similar characteristics was reported (10–41% of Tilia pollen). The content of Tilia pollen grains in monofloral linden honeys from RZ 3, which includes the territory of south-eastern Europe, the south of central and eastern Europe, and the southern part of European Russia, was higher than in the previous zones (25–88%). Even higher rates (30–99%) were typical for linden honey samples extracted from the north of eastern Europe and European Russia (RZ 4). The regions in the Russian Far East (Primorye Krai) and the northeast China have been allocated to RZ 5. Here, we noted lime honey samples had the highest proportion of Tilia pollen (50–99%). An analysis of the features of the pollen spectra of all Eurasian linden honeys allowed the zones to be combined and be identified into two major groups: southern and northern.