Summary
Grass pollen was high in Kimberley and moulds were moderate in Durban, but most sites reported low pollen and mould concentrations in this early winter period.
Cape Town
Pollen concentrations were uniformly low. Trees were sumac (Anacardiaceae) and pine (Pinaceae) and weeds were hemp Cannabis) and bulrush (Typhaceae). Moulds were low.
Johannesburg
Extremely low pollen concentrations were detected at this sampling site. Trees were mulberry (Moraceae) and gum (Myrtaceae) and in the weed category only slangbos (Stoebe-type) was seen. Moulds were low.
Pretoria
All pollen concentrations would be low at this time of the year. Trees might include bushwillow (Combretaceae), soapberry (Dodonaea), mulberry (Moraceae), ash (Fraxinus) and gum (Myrtaceae). Weeds would be ragweed (Ambrosia), the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), spurges (Euphorbiacdeae), slangbos (Stoebe-type), erica (Ericaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Moulds are low. 5-year means are used.
Bloemfontein
Pollen concentrations are low at this time of the year. Trees would be false olive (Buddleia), olive (Oleaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), elm (Ulmaceae), waxberry (Morella) acacia (Acacia-type) and cypress (Cupressaceae). Weeds are likely to be mugwort (Artemisia), the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Fern spores (Polypodiaceae) would be present and moulds would be low. 5-year means were used.
Kimberley
Grasses would be high at this time of the year but scant tree and weed pollen is seen in April. Trees would include waxberry (Morella) and elm (Ulmaceae) and weeds would be sedges (Cyperaceae) and the daisy family and moulds are likely to be low. (Asteraceae). 5-year means were used.
Durban
All pollen counts are now low. Trees included palm (Arecaceae), pecan (Carya), cypress (Cupressaceae), ebony (Ebenaceae), gum (Myrtaceae) and karee (Searsia). Weeds were ragweed (Ambrosia), iceplants (Aizoaceae), pigweed (Amaranthaceae), lily (Liliaceae), mugwort (Artemisia), the daisy family (Asteraceae), borage (Boraginaceae), sedge), plantain (Plantaginaceae), bulrush (Typhaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Fern spores (Polypodiaceae) were seen. Moulds were moderate with peaks for the allergenic mould Cladosporium.
Gqeberha
Pollen concentrations were all low at this sampling site. Trees were gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae) and karee (Searsia) and weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae), sedge (Cyperaceae), lily (Liliaceae), slangbos (Stoebe-type) and mezereum (Thmelaeaceae). Moulds were low.
George
Pollen concentrations were low. Trees were cypress (Cupressaceae), gum (Myrtaceae) and false olive (Buddleja). Weeds were mugwort (Artemisia, ferns (Polypodiaceae), nettles (Urticaceae) and goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae). 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