Summary
Tree concentrations diminished at some sites this week but remained high in Cape Town, Pretoria, and Potchefstroom. Grass was moderate in Cape Town and there were no weed or mould peaks at any of the sites.
Cape Town
Grass concentrations are moderate. Tree concentrations are high and include sumac (Anacardiaceae), palm (Arecaceae), hackberry (Celtis), waxberry (Morella), lemon (Citrus), cypress (Cupressaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae) and olive (Oleaceae), the dominant tree, pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae) and oak (Quercus). Low weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), bulrush (Typhaceae), nettles (Urticaceae), sorrel (Rumex), protea (Proteaceae) and erica (Ericaceae). Moulds were low, but included occasional peaks for the allergenic mould, Alternaria.
Johannesburg
Tree, grass and weed pollen concentrations were low, although rain throughout the week would have removed pollen from the atmosphere. Trees were birch (Betula), false olive (Buddleia), mulberry (Moraceae), plane (Platanaceae), pine (Pinaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae) and oak (Quercus). Weeds were sedges (Cyperaceae)and bulrush (Typhaceae) and fern spores (Polypodiaceae) were present. Moulds were low.
Pretoria
Tree pollen would be high at this site and might include acacia (Acacia-type), sumac (Anacardiaceae), ash (Fraxinus), hackberry (Celtis), birch (Betula), cypress (Cupressaceae), palm (Arecaceae), poplar (Populaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae), jacaranda (Bignoniaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanaceae), red milkwood (Mimosops), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), poplar (Populaceae), oak (Quercus), Australian pine (Casuarina), marula (Sclerocarya), lemon (Citrus), false olive (Buddleia) and beech (Fagus). Weeds would be sorrel (Rumex), knotweed (Persicaria), the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), protea (Proteaceae), rush (Juncaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Moulds would be low. The courier failed to deliver the pollen strip in time for analysis so 6-year means are shown.
Bloemfontein
Tree pollen decreased to low levels at this site. A variety of trees are still flowering and include acacia (Acacia-type), false olive) Buddleia), hackberry (Celtis), cypress (Cupressaceae), ash (Fraxinus), gum (Myrtaceae), waxberry (Morella), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Platanaceae), plane (Platanaceae), poplar (Populaceae), oak (Quercus) and karee (Searsia). Low weed concentrations included the daisy family (Asteraceae) pigmyweeds (Crassulaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), lily (Liliaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae). Moulds were low.
Kimberley
All the pollen concentrations were low at this site. Trees were birch (Betula), bushwillow (Combretaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), ash (Fraxinus), cypress (Cupressaceae), ash (Fraxinus), olive (Morella), gum (Myrtaceae), waxberry (Morella), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanaceae), poplar (Populaceae), karee (Searsia) and elm (Ulmaceae). No weed pollen was detected and moulds were low.
Durban
Tree, grass and weed concentrations were all low at this sampling site. Trees included the monkey puzzle tree (Araucariaceae), palm (Arecaceae), birch (Betula), Australian pine (Casuarina), cypress (Cupressaceae), ebony (Ebenaceae), the pea family (Fabaceae), jacaranda (Bignoniaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), spruce (Picea), plane (Platanaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), oak (Quercus) and karee (Searsia). Weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae), aloe (Asphodelaceae), ragweed (Ambrosia), the daisy family (Asteraceae), borage (Boraginaceae), pigmyweed (Crassulaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), and nettles (Urticaceae). fern spores (Polypodiaceae) were present and moulds were low.
Gqeberha
All pollen concentrations were low at this sampling site. Trees included acacia (Acacia-type), monkey puzzle (Araucariaceae), cedar (Cedrus), cypress (Cupressaceae), gum (Myrtaceae). olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanaceae) and yellowwood (Podocarpaceae). Weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae) katstert (Anthospermum), sedges (Cyperaceae), mezereum (Thymelaeaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae) and spurges (Euphorbiaceae). Moulds were low.
George
Pollen in all categories would be low. Trees might include Australian pine (Casuarina), cypress (Cupressaceae) and yellowwood (Podocarpaceae) and no weeds might be goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), mezereum (Thymelaeaceae0 and protea (Proteaceae). Moulds and grasses would be low.2-year means are used.
Potchefstroom
Tree counts were high and included birch (Betula), olive (Oleaceae), hackberry (Celtis), sand olive (Dodonaeae), mulberry (Moraceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), ash (Fraxinus), the dominant tree pine (Pinaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), syringa (Melia), plane (Platanaceae) and oak (Quercus). Weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae), plantain (PLantaginaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and bulrush (Typhaceae) and grasses and moulds were low, depressed by rainfall.
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