Summary
Grass pollen was moderate in Kimberley but pollen counts at the other sampling sites in South Africa were low.
Cape Town
All pollen concentrations were extremely low during a week of rain and low temperatures. Trees were Australian pine (Casuarina) and gum (Myrtaceae) and weeds were hemp (Cannabaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), erica Ericaceae) and goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) and moulds were low.
Johannesburg
Pollen in the tree, grass and weed categories was very low. The only tree detected was Australian pine (Casuarina) and the only weed weeds were spurges (Euphorbiacae). Moulds were very low.
Pretoria
All pollen would be low at this time of the year. Tree pollen would be sand olive (Dodonaeae), birch (Betula), olive (Oleaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), mulberry (Morus), cypress (Cupressaceae), ash (Fraxinus), willow (Salix) and elm (Ulmaceae). Weeds are likely to be the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopdiaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), mugwort (Artemisia), slangbos (Stoebe-type), erica (Ericaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and pigweed (Amaranthaceae). Fern spores (Polypodiaceae) would be present and moulds would be low. 5-year means were used.
Bloemfontein
Pollen concentrations were extremely low at this sampling site. Trees were false olive (Buddleia)., olive (Oleaceae), poplar (Populaceae) and oak (Quercus). No weed pollen was detected but fern spores were seen and moulds were low.
Kimberley
Pollen was low in all three categories. Trees in included bushwillow (Combretaceae) and poplar (Populaceae) and weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae) and goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae). Moulds were low.
Durban
Pollen in all three categories is now low. Trees were palm (Arecaceae), Australian pine (Casuarina), waxberry (Morella), the dominant tree cypress (Cupressaceae) and gum (Myrtaceae). Weeds were ice plants (Aizoaceae), ragweed (Ambrosia), knotweed (Persicacaria) the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae) and reeds (Restionaceae). Fern spores (Polypodiaceae) were present and moulds were low.
Gqeberha
No findings were received from this site.
George
Very low pollen concentrations would be seen at this time of the year. Trees might be gum (Myrtaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), forest elder (Nuxia), Australian pine (Casuarina), sweet gum (Liquidamber), dandelion (Taraxacum), nettles (Urticaceae) and knotweed (Persicaria). Fern spores would be present (Polypodiaceae) and moulds would be low. 2-year means were used.
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