Summary
The grass season is picking up in Cape Town with a peak in grass pollen detected. Elsewhere grasses were low and so were weeds – except in Bloemfontein where moderate counts were detected. Tree pollen levels were high in Cape Town, moderate in Bloemfontein, and low across the rest of South Africa. Durban was the only site with significant fungal spore counts.
Cape Town
Grasses were moderate. Trees were significant and included the sumac family (Anacardiaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), the ebony family (Ebenaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanus sp.), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), lindens (Tiliaceae), elm (Ulmaceae), acacia (Acacia sp.). mulberry (Moraceae) and walnut (Juglandaceae). Weeds were the carrot family (Apiaceae), erica (Ericaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), buckwheat (Polygonaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), mezereum (Thymelaeaceae) mugwort (Artemisia sp.) and nettles (Urticaceae). Fungal spores were low.
Calvinia
Tree, weed and grass pollen levels were low. Trees detected were mesquite (Prosopis sp.), bushwillow (Combretaceae), the sumac family (Anacardiaceae), karee (Rhus/Searsia sp.), and birch (Betulaceae). Weeds included the daisy family (Asteraceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), mezereum (Thymelaeaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), buckwheat (Polygonaceae), and nettles (Urticaceae). Moulds were extremely low.
Johannesburg
Trees, grasses, weeds, and moulds were not significant. Tree pollen included acacia (Acacia sp.), hackberry (Celtis sp.), bushwillow (Combretaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanus sp.), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), poplar (Populus sp.), oak (Quercus sp.), karee (Rhus/Searsia sp.) and elm (Ulmaceae). The weeds detected were pigweed (Amaranthus sp.), daisies (Asteraceae), and sedges (Cyperaceae).
Pretoria
No significant counts were recorded in any pollen categories, and molds were also low. Tree pollen included birch (Betulaceae), cedar (Cedrus sp.), cypress (Cupressaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae), Cape holly (Ilex sp.), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae), and oak (Quercus sp.). Weeds were ragweed (Ambrosia sp.), mugwort (Artemisia sp.), the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), and plantain (Plantaginaceae).
Bloemfontein
Moderate tree and weed levels, with low grass and fungal spore counts, were detected. The trees recorded were acacia (Acacia sp.), false olive (Buddleja sp.), bushwillow (Combretaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), plane (Platanus sp.), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), karee (Rhus/Searsia sp.), oak (Quercus sp.) and jacaranda (Jacaranda sp.). Weeds were from the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), and the nettle family (Urticaceae).
Kimberley
Tree, grass, and weed pollen levels were low. Trees detected were the sumac family (Anacardiaceae), pecan (Carya sp.), gum (Myrtaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae), karee (Rhus/Searsia sp.), olive (Oleaceae), and cypress (Cupressaceae). Weeds included the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), mezereum (Thymelaeaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), and buckwheat (Polygonaceae). Moulds were low but small spikes were seen for the allergenic spore, Cladosporium,
Durban
Tree, weed and grass pollen levels were low. Trees detected included mulberry (Moraceae), olive (Oleaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), pecan (Carya sp.), pine (Pinaceae), and the sumac family (Anacardiaceae). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), ferns (Polypodiaceae), mezereum (Thymelaeaceae,) and mugwort (Artemisia sp.). Fungal spores were high with spikes for ascospores and the allergenic moulds, Epicoccum and Cladosporium.
Gqeberha
New results for this site were not available and the findings from last week are repeated here. Overall low counts were seen for trees, weeds, grasses, and moulds. Tree pollen included acacia (Acacia sp.), the monkey puzzle family (Araucariaceae), waxberry (Morella sp.), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae) and pine (Pinaceae). The weeds recorded were pigweed (Amaranthus sp.), katstert (Anthospermum sp.), the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), and mezereum (Thymelaeaceae).
