Summary
Grass was moderate in Kimberley and trees were high in Pretoria, but moderate in Cape Town and Potchefstroom.
Cape Town
Tree pollen was moderate to high and included sumac (Anacardiaceae), hackberry (Celtis), Cape Holly (Ilex), gum (Myrtaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), waxberry (Morella), olive (Oleaceae) the dominant tree pine (Pinaceae) and oak (Quercus). Grasses were low on average when affected by rain and low temperatures but increased to moderate concentrations on sunny days. Low weed concentrations included mugwort (Artemisia), the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sorrel (Rumex) and nettles (Urticaceae) and moulds were low.
Johannesburg
Tree, grass and weed pollen was low. Trees included acacia (Acacia-type), birch (Betula), false olive (Buddleia), pecan (Carya) ebony (Ebenaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), pine (Pinaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), willow (Salicaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), elm (Ulmaceae) and oak (Quercus). Weeds were pigmyweeds (Crassulaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), mallows (Malvaceae), bulrush (Typhaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae) and moulds were low.
Pretoria
Grasses would be low at this site but trees would be high and varied and might include bushwillow (Combretaceae), waxberry (Morella), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), mesquite (Prosopis), false olive (Buddleia), karee (Searsia), plane (Platanaceae), pine (Pinaceae), acacia (Acacia-type), sumac (Anacardiaceae), ash (Fraxinus), cypress (Cupressaceae), ebony (Ebenaceae) and willow (Salicaceae). Weeds might be the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), mallows (Malvaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), protea Proteaceae), aloes (Asphodelaceae), knotweed (Persicaria), protea (Proteaceae), sorrel (Rumex), dandelion (Taraxacum) and bulrush (Typhaceae). 5-year means were calculated.
Bloemfontein
Grasses were low. Tree pollen was low but varied and included acacia (Acacia-type), birch (Betula), false olive (Buddleia), hackberry (Celtis), bushwillow (Combretaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), waxberry (Morella), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane) Platanaceae), poplar (Populaceae) and oak (Quercus). weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), pigmyweeds (Crassulaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), the dominant weed plantain (Plantaginaceae), lily (Liliaceae) and fern spores (Polypodiaceae), Moulds were low.
Kimberley
Grass pollen was moderate. Trees were low and included birch (Betula), bushwillow (Combretaceae), olive (Oleaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), plane (Platanaceae), poplar (Populaceae) and karee (Searsia). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae) and moulds were low.
Durban
All pollen concentrations would be low at this site. Trees would include acacia (Acacia-type), ash (Fraxinus), birch (Betula), Australian pine (Casuarina), cypress (Cupressaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), pine (Pinaceae), pecan (Carya), mulberry (Moraceae), karee (Searsia), plane (Platanaceae), walnut (Juglandaceae), sumac (Anacardiaceae), Cape Holly (Ilex), beech (Fagus), elm (Ulmaceae) and sweetgum (Liquidamber), Weeds could be the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), sorrel (Rumex), rush (Juncaceae), protea (Proteaceae), pigmyweeds (Crassulaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Moulds would be low. 5-year means were calculated.
Gqeberha
Pollen concentrations were all low at this sampling site. Trees were cedar (Cedrus), gum (Myrtaceae) and pine (Pinaceae) and weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), erica (Ericaceae), reeds (Restionaceae) and mezereum (Thymelaeaceae). Moulds were low.
George
Pollen concentrations would be low at this site but tree pollen would be varied and might include yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), pecan (Carya), bushwillow (Combretaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), plane (Platanaceae), poplar (Populaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae), linden (Tiliaceae), oak (Quercus), maple (Acer), mulberry (Moraceae) and sweetgum (Liquidambar). Weeds would be plantain (Plantaginaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), nettles (Urticaceae), mugwort (Artemisia) and spurges (Euphorbiaceae). Moulds would be moderate. Mean counts from previous years are shown.
Potchefstroom
Tree pollen declined but remained varied with high counts for some tree taxa, including maple (Acer), birch (Betula), hackberry (Celtis), pecan (Carya), bushwillow (Combretaceae), sand olive (Dodonaea), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), the dominant tree pine (Pinaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), oak (Quercus) and karee (Searsia). Weeds were pigweed (Crassulaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), the dominant weed, plantain (Plantaginaceae), and nettles (Urticaceae). 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