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and sprayed with pollen.

Tendi and Boimler sprayed with pollen.

Pollen was a reproductive function of seeding plant species throughout the galaxy, tiny grains that spread through a planet's atmosphere to fertilize compatible plants.

Specifics

Bees unknowingly aided plant fertilization by distributing pollen during their travels. [1] [2] [3] Some small spores, such as produced by Omicron Ceti III's spore plants, resembled spiny, tiny pollen grains. [4] Pollen would travel through a receptor plant's pollen tube into an ovule to fertilize an egg. [5]

Denebian lianas produced abundant, fragrant, pollen. Halkan fire-lilies released a phosphorescent pollen when touched. [6] Fireblossom pollen was red-orange and clingy. [7] The atmosphere of Nasat was saturated with pollen. [8]

Some pollen could be eaten. Yrythny in the Delta Quadrant ate crackers covered with a spread made from pollen. (DS9 - Mission Gamma novel: This Gray Spirit)

On Gamma Trianguli VI, pollen beneficial to Vaalian immune systems was produced by a plant that also fired thorns toxic to non-Vaalians. (TOS novel: No Time Like the Past)

Humans could be allergic to some forms of pollen. For example, Malcolm Reed was allergic to oak pollen. [9] Domenica Corsi was allergic to pollen on Coroticus III. [10] Miles O'Brien was allergic to many alien plants growing in the USS Enterprise-D's arboretum. [11]

History

According to rumor, some 23rd century Vulcans on the planet T'Rillian were able to employ psychokinesis to manage insect pollenization of plants. (FASA RPG module: Trader Captains and Merchant Princes, 2nd edition)

In 2248, Spock smelled pollen in Amanda Grayson's garden on Vulcan that had scents similar to cloves, ginger, and cinnamon. (TOS - SA novel: Crisis on Vulcan)

In 2268, Elizabeth Ling from the USS Enterprise searched San Francisco for evidence of ancient redwood tree pollen. Being unable to find any produced in the past 10,000 years proved that life on Earth had been altered millennia before their arrival in an alternate timeline. (TOS novel: First Frontier)

In 2374, Q felt himself about to sneeze from pollen he breathed in while visiting hydroponics aboard the USS Enterprise-E. (TNG - The Q Continuum novel: Q-Strike)

under the influence of pollen.

D'Vana Tendi under the influence of pollen.

In 2381, D'Vana Tendi and Brad Boimler were exposed to pollen during a holodeck drill controlled by the rogue artificial intelligence Badgey aboard the USS Cerritos. Pollen produced by orchid-like plants on an unnamed class M planet acted on them like a love potion. Tendi became infatuated with Ensign Beckett Mariner, while Boimler fell in love with Captain Carol Freeman. Rutherford and Mariner put them in biobed restraints to keep them out of trouble as they researched a cure. In the next phase of infection, their bodies exuded more pollen. Symptoms were cured by making Tendi and Boimler angry. (LD video game: The Badgey Directive episode: "This Side of Pollendise")

Harmful effects

Some pollen had psychotropic properties that could be assessed by a xenobotanist. (Adventures RPG module: The Sciences Division)

Pollen on Archer IV contained mind-altering compounds. Exposure produced paranoia, anxiety, and hallucinations. A landing party from the Earth Starfleet starship Enterprise was exposed during a visit to the world in 2151. (ENT episode: "Strange New World", ENT novel: By the Book)

On Gunarp II, humanoid exposure to springtime pollen from most of the world's plants produced hallucinations, disorientation, nausea, and impairment of judgment. In ten percent of cases, subjects reported feeling a manic homicidal urge. More than half retained symptoms afterward, requiring psychological therapy and decontamination. Nearly 30,000 Federation settlers died from exposure during the 2250s decade, leaving it a prohibited world. Its remaining 2,000 Orion settlers were naturally immune. (FASA RPG - The Orions module: Book of Common Knowledge)

Pollen on the Kirse planet smelled like asafetida and skunk. During a visit by USS Voyager in 2372, Tom Paris inhaled some from a plant with trumpet-shaped flowers, and it quickly made him dizzy. When numerous other plants emitted pollen as well, the away team suspected it was an unnatural phenomenon, though they could compensate with filter masks. (VOY novel: The Garden)

In 2372, Voyager's Bajoran crewman Kayla fell into a state of hibernation after being exposed to pollen from Ambriana blossoms on Urrytha. The pollen contained numerous toxins, and was sacred to the Urrythan species as it allowed its members to ascend to their Long Sleep. (VOY novel: Chrysalis)

In 2376, Sherman's Plague spread on Sherman's Planet. Its virus particles adhered to dust and pollen that helped it spread through the air. (SCE eBook: Oaths)

Weaponized pollen

In 2359, the Mabrae Coray used pollen to poison the Argelian Sorma when he became overly amorous to her. (TLE novel: The Buried Age)

Cross-pollination of Edosian orchids and the White Star of Night resulted in blossoms deadly to humanoids. In the 24th century, Elim Garak used that knowledge to grow a deadly bloom that killed Proconsul Merrok. (DS9 novel: A Stitch in Time)

In 2377, Senator Rokonik was killed by toxic pollen from melanth, which grew near the Firefalls of Gal'Gathong on Romulus. Liviana Charvanek suspected someone blew the pollen at him, rather than him accidentally encountering one of the plants. (TOS - Vulcan's Soul novel: Epiphany)

Appendices

Connections

See also: seed, spore

References

  1. ↑ TNG novel: Gulliver's Fugitives
  2. ↑ VOY novel: Chrysalis
  3. ↑ TOS novel: Best Destiny
  4. ↑ TOS - Star Trek 5 novelization: This Side of Paradise
  5. ↑ DS9 novel: A Stitch in Time
  6. ↑ TOS novel: Death Count
  7. ↑ TOS novel: Faces of Fire
  8. ↑ SCE eBook: Balance of Nature
  9. ↑ ENT episode: "Silent Enemy"
  10. ↑ SCE eBook: Fables of the Prime Directive
  11. ↑ TNG - Strange New Worlds VII short story: "Beginnings"

External links