Wattle pollen seen through a Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM). Each unique shape and structure of a pollen spore provides answers about the plant’s pollinating partners.

Redbud pollen shot with a Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM). The Cercis genus contains about 10 species in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae of the pea family.

A Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM) image of a bee. A bee’s fine hairs pick up pollen spores and transport them so they pollinate other flowers and maintain biodiversity.

A Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM) image of a cut-leaved daisy (Brachyscome multifida) pollen. Daisies are usually pollinated by insects and the spiky shape of their pollen grains help them stick to the legs and bodies of insects.

Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM) image of a hibiscus anther and pollen grains.

A Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM) image of convolvulus (Convolvulus madagascariensis) pollen grains.

Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM) of bottlebrush pollen.

One in five Australians suffer from hayfever each year often caused by wind-borne pollens from plants such as she-oak and grasses. Wattle is often incorrectly blamed for causing hay fever; however, its pollen is too heavy to be carried by the wind and is most commonly pollinated by insects and birds.

The microscope images of wattle pollen grains, shown in the top right, show the detail of the spores from a microscopic scale.

Light microscope images of daisy pollen (family Asteraceae). Daisies are mainly insect pollinated as suggested by the pollen grains’ spiky shape. Spikes help pollen stick to insects’ bodies.

This image of a bee antenna and pollen is a mosaic of pollen grain images from the Classifynder pollen microscope.

Images of various pollen grains taken with the automated Classifynder microscope, which uses robotic technology and image processing to automatically identify pollen. It hones in on certain characteristics and captures a detailed image of each grain.

Pollen from a variety of common plants: sunflower (Helianthus annuus), morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea), hollyhock (Sildalcea malviflora), lily (Lilium auratum), primrose (Oenothera fruticosa) and castor bean (Ricinus communis).

The image is falsely coloured to highlight the shape of the spores.

A Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM) image of wattle (Acacia boormanii) pollen grains, artificially coloured.