Summary
Grass levels approached significance in Calvinia and moderate levels were recorded in Kimberley. Tree and weed levels were not significant at any of the sampling sites. Moulds were high in the subtropical sampling site of Durban, but low in every other city in the South African pollen network.
Cape Town
Low pollen levels were detected in in the atmosphere. Trees identified were the sumac family (Anacardiaceae), waxberry (Morella sp.), gum (Myrtaceae), forest elder (Nuxia sp.), Australia pine (Casuarina sp.), birch (Betulaceae) and plane (Platanaceae). Weeds were goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), mugwort (Artemisia sp.), nettles (Urticaceae) and erica (Ericaceae). Moulds were low.
Calvinia
Grass counts were moderate during this sampling period, but tree and weed levels were not significant. The trees detected were the monkey puzzle tree (Araucariaceae) the sumac family (Anacardiaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae), gum tree (Myrtaceae), waxberry (Morella sp.), and olive (Oleaceae). Weeds recorded included the daisy family (Asteraceae), the cabbage family (Brassicaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), iris (Iridaceae), mallows (Malvaceae), erica (Ericaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Moulds were low.
Johannesburg
Very low levels of grass, weed and tree pollen were seen. Only elm (Ulmaceae) and mulberry (Moraceae) was seen in the tree category. The weeds detected were pigweed (Amaranthus sp.), mugwort (Artemisia sp.) and erica (Ericaceae). Moulds were very low.
Pretoria
Grass, trees and weeds were not significant. Tree pollen included birch (Betulaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), ash (Fraxinus sp.), mulberry (Moraceae), gum tree (Myrtaceae) and willow (Salix sp.). A small spike in the daisy family (Asteraceae) was seen in the weeds category, with low levels of the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), erica (Ericaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), ferns (Polypodiaceae) and slangbos (Stoebe-type). Fungal spores were moderate.
Bloemfontein
No new data were available for this report, so last week’s findings are repeated. Grasses were low during this sampling period. No tree pollen was detected. Weeds were low and included mugwort (Artemisia) and nettles (Urticaceae). Moulds were low.
Kimberley
Moderate grass counts with low tree and weeds counts were seen. Tree pollen included only the sumac family (Anacardiaceae) and waxberry (Myricaceae). The weeds detected were the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), buckwheat (Polygonaceae), nettles (Urticaceae) and caltrops (Zygophyllaceae). Mould counts were low.
Durban
No new data were available for this report, so last week’s findings are repeated. Grasses were low. Low tree pollen levels included pine (Pinaceae) and gum (Myrtaceae). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), ferns (Polypodiaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Moulds were high after heavy rain with high basidiospore and ascospore loads.
Gqeberha
Low counts were detected in all pollen and mould categories. Tree pollen included the sumac family (Anacardiaceae), Australian pine (Casuarina sp.), gum (Myrtaceae), waxberry (Morella sp.), olive (Oleaceae) and pine (Pinaceae). Weeds included the daisy family (Asteraceae), erica (Ericaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae) and protea (Proteaceae).
