Summary
Tree pollen counts remained high to very high across most of South Africa, including Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Kimberley and Bloemfontein. Weed and grass pollen counts remained low, except for high weed counts likely present in Calvinia (no new data). Overall, the fungal spore counts were also low, except for moderate levels likely present in Durban (no new data).
Cape Town
Very high tree pollen counts were detected due to elevated levels of cypress (Cupressaceae). Other trees included acacia (Acacia sp.), the sumac family (Anacardiaceae), birch (Betulaceae), ash (Fraxinus sp.), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanus sp.) and olive (Oleaceae). Weed pollen counts were low and included mugwort (Artemisia sp.), the daisy family (Asteraceae), the cabbage family (Brassicaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), erica (Ericaceae), the iris family (Iridaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Mould and grass counts were also low.
Calvinia
A technical issue at this site meant no new data were available for this sampling period. The findings from last week are repeated. Very high weed pollen counts were seen due to elevated mugwort (Artemisia sp.) levels. Other weed pollen included the daisy family (Asteraceae), the cabbage family (Brassicaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Moderate tree counts included elevated hackberry (Celtis sp.) and mesquite (Prosopis sp.), as well as pollen from the sumac family (Anacardiaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), olive (Oleaceae) and pine (Pinaceae). Moulds were very low.
Johannesburg
Very high tree counts were detected due to elevated plane (Platanus sp.), mulberry (Moraceae) and hackberry (Celtis sp.) pollen levels. Other trees recorded were acacia (Acacia sp.), palm (Arecaceae), birch (Betulaceae), ash (Fraxinus sp.), cypress (Cupressaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), poplar (Populus sp.), oak (Quercus sp.), willow (Salix sp.) and elm (Ulmaceae). Weed counts were low and included pigweed (Amaranthus sp.), the daisy family (Asteraceae) and spurges (Euphorbiaceae). Grass and mould levels were low.
Pretoria
Very high tree counts were recorded due to elevated birch (Betulaceae), mulberry (Moraceae) and plane (Platanus sp.) pollen. Other tree pollen detected were cypress (Cupressaceae), ash (Fraxinus sp.), gum (Myrtaceae), pine (Pinaceae), poplar (Populus sp.), oak (Quercus sp.), karee (Rhus/Searsia sp.) and willow (Salix sp.). Weed counts were very low and included only the daisy family (Asteraceae), the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae) and buckwheat (Polygonaceae). Grass and fungal spore counts were also low.
Bloemfontein
A technical issue at this site meant no new data were available for this sampling period. The findings from last week are repeated. High tree counts and low weed counts were seen at this site. The major tree pollen detected was poplar (Populus sp.), pine (Pinaceae), mulberry (Moraceae) and cypress (Cupressaceae), with lower levels of waxberry (Myricaceae), olive (Oleaceae) and plane (Platanus sp.) detected. Weeds included the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) and pigmyweeds (Crassulaceae). No grass pollen was detected and mould counts were low.
Kimberley
Tree counts were high due to elevated levels of birch (Betulaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), plane (Platanus sp.) and mulberry (Moraceae). Lower levels of Australian pine (Casuarina sp.), ash (Fraxinus sp.), hackberry (Celtis sp.), gum (Myrtaceae), pine (Pinaceae), poplar (Populus sp.), oak (Quercus sp.) and karee (Rhus/Searsia sp.) were also detected. Weeds were present at low levels and included the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), iris (Iridaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae) and slangbos (Stoebe-type). Grass and mould counts were low.
Durban
A logistical issue at this site meant no new data were available for this sampling period. The findings from last week are repeated. Moderate tree levels were seen with elevated mulberry (Moraceae) counts. Other tree pollen included the sumac family (Anacardiaceae), birch (Betulaceae), Australian pine (Casuarina sp.), hackberry (Celtis sp.), cypress (Cupressaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae), ash (Fraxinus sp.), gum (Myrtaceae), pine (Pinaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), plane (Platanus sp.), oak (Quercus sp.) and elm (Ulmaceae). Grass and weed pollen counts were low. The weed pollen recorded was mugwort (Artemisia sp.), the daisy family (Asteraceae), carnations (Caryophyllaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), erics (Ericaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), fern spores (Polypodiaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Fungal spores / mould levels were moderate.
Gqeberha
Low levels of tree, weed and grass pollen were seen. Trees detected include cedar (Cedrus sp.), waxberry (Morella sp.), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae) and karee (Rhus/Searsia sp.). Weeds included katstert (Anthospermum sp.), mugwort (Artemisia sp.), the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), erica (Ericaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), lilies (Liliaceae), slangbos (Stoebe-type) and bullrush (Typhaceae). Moulds were low.
