Pollen calendar Pollen calendar A pollen calendar is used to show the peak pollen times for different types of plant pollen, which causes allergic reactions in certain people. A pollen calendar can be a very useful tool in forensic science, because it can be used to place the month, or week, or date of death. The use of pollen for criminal investigation purposes is called "forensic palynology". However, the use of a pollen calendar to set the date of death should be used with extreme caution, and only by a carefully trained expert witness. The CSI effect has put pressure on some
Diaspore (botany) Diaspore (botany) In botany, a diaspore is a plant dispersal unit consisting of a seed or spore plus any additional tissues that assist dispersal. In some seed plants, the diaspore is a seed and fruit together, or a seed and elaiosome. In a few seed plants, the diaspore is most or all of the plant, and is known as a tumbleweed. Diaspores are common in weedy and ruderal species. Collectively, diaspores, seeds, and spores that have been modified for migration are known as "disseminules". A diaspore of seed plus elaiosome is a common adaptation to seed dispersal by ants (myrmecochory).