Summary
Grasses were moderate in Cape Town but no significant tree or weed concentrations were seen at any of the sites. Moulds were high in Durban and Pretoria.
Cape Town
Moderate grass counts were seen for most of the week. Tree pollen is decreasing but it included Celtis (hackberry), lemon (Citrus), cypress (Cupressaceae), jacaranda (Bignoniaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanaceae and oak (Quercus). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedge (Cyperaceae), mint (Lamiaceae), erica Ericaceae) and nettle (Urticaceae). Moulds were low.
Johannesburg
Tree and weed pollen was consistently low at this site and no grass was detected. Trees included birch (Betulus), bushwillow (Combretaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), poplar (Populaceae) and elm (Ulmaceae). Weeds were sedges (Cyperaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), ferns (Polypodiaceae) and bulrushes (Typhaceae). Moulds were low.
Pretoria
Grasses were low. Tree and weed pollen was low. Tree included acacia (Acacia-type), birch (Betula) hackberry (Celtis), cypress (Cupressaceae), guarri (Euclea), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanaceae), willow (Salix) olive (Oleaceae)and poplar (Populaceae). Weeds were ice-plants (Aizoaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), spurges (Euphorbiceae), nettles (Urticaceae) and bulrushes (Typhaceae). Moulds were high, with spikes for the allergenic spore Cladosporium.
Bloemfontein
The spore trap is being repaired so five-year means are shown. At this time of the year trees are moderate and would include acacia (Acacia-type), gum (Myrtaceae), karee (Searsia), hackberry (Celtis), false olive (Buddleja), mulberry (Moraceae), hackberry (Morella), elm (Ulmaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae) and poplar (Populaceae). Weeds could be mallows (Malvaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), nettles (Urticaceae) and the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae). Moulds would be low.
Kimberley
Pollen was low in all three categories at this sampling site. Trees included false olive (Buddleja), bushwillow (Combretaceae), cypress (Cupressaaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae) and poplar (Populaceae). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedge (Cyperaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae). Moulds were low.
Durban
All pollen would be low t this time of the year. Trees would be birch (Betulaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), pine (Pinaceae), pecan (Carya), plane (Platanaceae), poplar (Populaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae), buckthorn (Rhamnaceae) and beech (Fagus). Weeds might be nettles (Urticaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and ferns (Polypodiaceae). Moulds would be high, with peaks for Cladosporium, the allergenic mould.
Gqeberha
Pollen in all categories was low. Trees included Australian pine (Casuarina), cedar (Cedrus), cypress (Cupressaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae) and yellowwood (Podocarpaceae). Weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae), aloe (Asphelodaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), mustard (Brassicaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedge (Cyperaceae), erica (Ericaceae), protea (Proteaceae), reed (Restionaceae), mezereum (Thymelaeaceae), bulrush (Typhaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). moulds were low.
George
Pollen concentrations were very low at this site. Trees were the flamboyant tree (Delonix) and yellowwood (Podocarpaceae). No weed pollen was detected and moulds were low.
Reference Range
Grass: Low: 0-5 Moderate: 6-20 High: 21-200
Trees: Low: 0-15 Moderate: 16-90 High: 91-1500
Weeds: Low: 0-10 Moderate: 10-50 High: 51-500
Moulds: Low: 0-900 Moderate: 900-2500 High 2500-25000
Unit: per cubic metre