Haven't had a problem. I have been rubbing my hand over one umbel, collecting the pollen on my bare palm, then rubbing it over the other one. Diana Telos ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ken" <kjblack@pacbell.net> To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Sunday, May 04, 2008 9:51 PM Subject: [pbs] toxicity of Boophone disticha pollen ? >I have several times now developed both a headache and sore eyes after >attempting to pollinate my Boophone disticha blooms. More recently, pain >in the lower right side of my back (liver? or just muscular?) lasting >almost a day after spending 10-15 minutes in very close proximity (1-2 >feet) while pollinating the individual florets. Today, I decided to wear >safety goggles and took breaths away from the flower, holding and exhaling >each time I drew near the flower to accomplish my pollination task. >Happily, I did not suffer the same ill affects this time around. Has >anybody else shared this experience? Does the pollen share some of the >same toxic qualities for which the bulb and leaves are known? > > Ken > San Diego > USDA Zone 10 > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/