Plantas nectaríferas utilizadas por Apis mellifera L. en la Patagonia extra-andina, Argentina

Abstract

Nectariferous plants utilized by Apis mellifera L. in extra-Andean Patagonia. A total of 122 samples of honey obtained in irrigated areas of extra-Andean Patagonia were analysed between 1995 and 2000; 103 of them came from the Monte Phitogeographical Province: lower valley of the Chubut river (62), Río Negro valley (41); 19 samples were obtained in the plains of the Senguerr river, located in the Patagonian province; 103 pollen types were detected, 93 of them belonged to nectariferous plants. Honeys of the studied areas present features in common: they came mainly from introduced plants, share 24 entomophilous pollen types, have abundant anemophilous pollen, are rich in Asteraceae and Fabaceae. The honey from the plains of the Senguerr river has abundance of Trifolieae, mainly Melilotus sp., and also presents pollen of Acaena sp. and Ameghinoa patagonica Speg., both native taxa. The honey of the Monte valleys presents high frequency of occurrence of Larrea sp. and came mainly from Tamarix gallica L. The low representativity of Monte and abundance of Malvella leprosa (Ortega) Krapov., Astereae and Lycium distinguishes the honeys of the lower valley of theChubut river from the honeys of Río Negro.