Table 1 Results of palynological analyses on the sample of the white powder from the heart of Richard I
From: The embalmed heart of Richard the Lionheart (1199 A.D.): a biological and anthropological analysis
Identified taxa (family, genus and species when possible) | Number of pollen grains | State of preservation of pollen grains | Period of pollination of referred plants | Present-day geographic distribution of referred plants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Pinus, Pinaceae | 4 | Poor | May-June | (Pinus silvestris (Scots pine), only one specie spontaneous in the north-western Massif Central |
Quercus ilex (holm oak), Fagaceae | 1 | Moderate | April-May | Common in the Mediterranean region, but also distributed in Western France up to Brittany |
Plantago (plantain), Plantaginaceae | 1 | Moderate | > April | Plantago species widely distributed in western France |
Campanulaceae | 1 | Good | > April | Several genera (Campanula i.e. bellflower, Jasione, Phyteuma, etc.) widely distributed in France |
Myrtus communis (myrtle), Myrtaceae | 3 | Good | May-July | Sweet-smelling plant endemic of the Mediterranean region |
Asteraceae Asteroideae (chrysanthemums, maybe the species Leucanthemum vulgare (daisy) according to the small size of the pollen grains (<20 μm) | 2 | Good | May-August | Widely distributed in France |
Lamiaceae (Mentha (mint), according to the ornamentation of exine) | 1 | Good | July-October | Mentha (mint) displays several species living in Western France such as M. silvestris (sweet-smelling plant; blooming July-September), M. viridis (August-October), M. aquatica (July-September), M. arvensis (strong-smelling plant: July-October) and M. Pulegium (strong-smelling plant: July-October) |
Populus (poplar), Salicaceae | 1 | Good | March-April | Three species of Populus (P. alba, P. tremula, P. nigra) widely distributed in France |
