Artemisia Pollen

Artemisia is a large genus of plants in the Asteraceae (sunflower family) with over 500 species distributed in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, South America, and Africa. Eight species are native to Oklahoma. Common names include wormwood, mugwort, and sagebrush. Artemisia species are often found growing in prairies, roadsides, and uncultivated areas and are more common in the western states. While often considered a weed, some species are known for their medicinal properties, and other species are used as ornamental plants in gardens. The pollen is allergenic. 

Artemisia pollen is tricolporate, 21-25 µm in diameter, and the surface is granular with minute spines. Between the colpi, the exine is thick with distinct columellae giving the pollen grain a three lobed appearance. This distinctive pollen is seen in Tulsa air samples in late summer and fall.