Summary
Tree pollen was high in Durban, where eucalyptus was the dominant tree. High grass counts at the inland sites were detected and moulds are high in Durban.
Cape Town
Pollen in all three categories was low at this site. Trees included sumac (Anacardiaceae), birch (Betula), Australian pine (Casuarina), lemon (Citrus), gum (Myrtaceae), the dominant tree, the pea family (Fabaceae) and pine (Pinaceae). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), erica (Ericaceae), bulrush (Typhaceae), protea (Proteaceae) and nettle (Urticaceae). Moulds were low.
Johannesburg
Pollen in all three categories was low. Trees included karee (Searsia). Weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Moulds were low.
Pretoria
5-year means are used while the spore trap is being repaired. Grasses are moderate at this time of the year. Tree pollen concentrations are low and might include gum (Myrtaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae), mulberry (Moraceae) and willow (Salicaceae). Eeds would be goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and erica (Ericaceae). Moulds are usually low.
Bloemfontein
5-year means are used. Grasses are high at this time of the year. Tree pollen is low and would include olive (Oleaceae), false olive (Buddleia), cypress (Cupressaceae), pine (Pinaceae), waxberry (Morella) and elm (Ulmaceae). Weeds would be the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), protea (Proteaceae and sedges (Cyperaceae). Moulds would be low.
Kimberley
5-year means are show. At this time of the year, low tree pollen concentrations might include olive (Oleaceae) and cypress (Cupressaceae), Weeds might include ragweed (Ambrosia) and nettles (Urticacaee). Moulds would be low.
Durban
Tree pollen concentrations were high and included the monkey puzzle tree (Araucariaceae), Australian pine (Casuarina), pecan (Carya), cypress (Cupressaceae), ebony (Ebenaceae), ash (Fraxinus), the dominant tree mulberry (Moraceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae) and plane (Platanaceae). Grasses were low as were weeds which included ice plants (Aizoaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), bulrush (Typhaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and spurges (Euphorbiaceae). Fern spores were also seen. Moulds were moderate.
Gqeberha
Extremely low pollen concentrations were measured at this sampling site. No grass pollen was detected. Trees included Australian pine (Casuarina), cedar (Cedrus) and gum (Myrtaceae). Weeds were spurges (Euphorbiaceae), and slangbos (Stoebe-type). Moulds were low.
George
Grass pollen concentrations were low and no tree or weeds 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