Summary
Tree pollen was high at the Durban site and grass was high in the interior grassland sites
Cape Town
Tree, grass and weed pollen concentrations were low. Trees included sumac (Anacardiaceae), Australian pine (Casuarina). Hackberry (Celtis). Lemon (Citrin), buckthorns (Rhamnaceae), the pea family (Fabaceae), gum (Myrtaceae) and oak (Quercus). Weeds were mugwort (Artemisia), the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and erica (Ericaceae). Moulds were low.
Johannesburg
All pollen and mould concentrations were low at this site. Trees were hackberry (Celtis), gum (Myrtaceae) and yellowwood (Podocarpaceae) and weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae).
Pretoria
The strip was unreliable and so 5-year averages are shown here. Trees would be found in low concentrations and might include cypress (Cupressaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), gum Myrtaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae), palm (Arecaceae), birch (Betula) and hackberry (Celtis). Weeds would be the daisy family (Asteraceae), slangbos (Stoebe-type) and spurges (Euphorbiaceae). Moulds would be low.
Bloemfontein
5-year averages are shown. Here tree pollen would still be high and would include false olive (Buddleja), cypress (Cupressaceae), olive (Oleaceae), oak (Quercus), pine (Pinaceae) and bushwillow (Combretaceae). Weeds would be low and might include the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiacdeae), nettles (Urticaceae), mugwort (Artemisia) and bulrush (Typhaceae). Mould would be low.
Kimberley
5-year averages are shown. At this sampling site, cypress (Cupressaceae), olive (Oleaceae) and elms (Ulmaceae), would be the tree pollen found in the air in low concentrations. Weeds would most likely be goosefoot (Chenopodiacea), the daisy family (Asteraceae), nettles (Urticaceae) and protea (Proteaceae). Moulds would be low.
Durban
Tree concentrations were high and included acacia (Acacia-type), palm (Arecaceae), monkey puzzle (Auracariaceae), Australian pine (Casuarina), pecan (Carya), cypress (Cupressaceae), the dominant tree, sweetgum (Liquidamber), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae) and poplar (Populaceae). Weeds were ragweed (Ambrosia), the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), mallows (Malvaceae), knotweed (Persicaria), plantain (Plantaginaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Fern spores (Polypodiaceae) were moderate. and moulds were high with peaks for ascospores and the allergenic mould Cladosporium.
Gqeberha
Pollen concentrations were low. Flowering trees included cedar (Cedrus(, cypress (Cupressaceae), waxberry (Morella) and Australian pine (Casuarina). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae) and moulds were low.
George
Grasses were extremely low and no tree or weed pollen was detected. 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