POLLEN ANALYSIS OF HONEYS FROM THE LOS-LAGOS REGION OF SOUTHERN CHILE

A total of 93 honey samples were analyzed from the Los Lagos Region (p rovinces of Valdivia, Osorno, Llanquihue and Chiloe) in Chile, of whic h 47 were monofloral and the rest polyfloral. The majority of the mono floral honeys were ulmo ones (37 honeys), characterized by the presenc e of Eucryphia-Lotus-Eucalyptus pollen. Five willow honeys containing Salix-Eucryphia-Lotus pollen were also identified together with 3 mono floral tineo honeys, with a predominance of Weinmannia-Salix-Eucryphia , a single rape honey (Brassica spp.) and another of while clover (Tri folium repens). The polyfloral honeys contain high quantities of polle n characteristic of monofloral honeys, along with pollen of other plan ts (especially nectar-producing ones). The following classification fo r this group of honeys is proposed: Polyfloral I and II (Eucryphia pre dominant), Polyfloral III (Weinmannia predominant), Polyfloral IV (Lot us predominant), Polyfloral V and VI (co-predominance of two and three taxa respectively, in different combinations).