Patent for IB PAS – production of palynological reference slides

Developed by our Institute "The method of producing palynological reference slides containing pollen grains or plant spores" was granted patent protection in accordance with the decision of the Polish Patent Office (P. 237668). The effectiveness of the method was verified in the course of work on maintaining a collection of sporomorphs of contemporary plants, which constitutes a specific type of "pollen herbarium" in the KRAM P collection of the W. Szafer Institute of Botany PAS. Palynological slides made in accordance with the patented method are characterized by outstanding durability (even up to several dozen years) and high optical quality. The produced microscope slide is thin, well protected against drying out and minor mechanical damages. The pollen grains are clearly visible with the relief of their surface and perfectly contrast with the background of the slide. The authors of the patent are prof. Leon Stuchlik, dr. Agnieszka Wacnik and dr. Katarzyna Cywa.

Reference pollen slide – a drop of gelatin glycerin with pollen grains secured with beeswax.
Photo: K. Stachowicz.

Method of storing reference pollen slides in the collections of the W. Szafer Institute of Botany PAS.
Photo: K. Cywa.