Summary
Grass pollen counts were moderate to high at some summer rainfall sampling sites, with other pollen types in the trees and weeds categories remaining low to moderate across the country. Durban had high levels of fungal spores this week, but low counts were recorded in the other cities.
Cape Town
No significant levels were seen during this sampling week. Trees detected were acacia (Acacia sp.), cypress (Cupressaceae), olive (Oleaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), the flamboyant tree (Fabaceae), sweet gum (Liquidambar), pepper tree (Schinus sp.), pine (Pinaceae), karee (Searsia sp. / Rhus sp.) and waxberry (Morella sp.). Weeds included bulrush (Typhaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), the citrus family (Rutaceae), erica (Ericaceae) and English plantain (Plantaginaceae). Moulds were low.
Johannesburg
Moderate grass counts with low tree and weed counts were detected. Tree pollen included birch (Betulaceae), Australian pine (Casuarina sp.), mulberry (Moraceae) and oak (Quercus sp.). Only pigweed (Amaranthus sp.) and sedges (Cyperaceae) were detected in the weeds category. Mould levels were low.
Pretoria
This pollen sampling site is closed over the December holidays, so no archived figures are available for this sampling period. Sampling will resume next week.
Bloemfontein
A technical issue meant that no new counts are available for this week. The results from the previous sampling period are repeated here. High grass counts were detected during this sampling period. Low tree levels included hackberry (Celtis sp.), mulberry (Moraceae), waxberry (Myricaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanus sp.) and karee (Rhus / Searsia sp.). Weed pollen counts were moderate and included sedges (Cyperaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), erica (Ericaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae) and pigmyweeds (Crassula sp.) Fungal spore levels were low.
Kimberley
High grass counts were seen in this sampling period. Tree and weed pollen were low, and included Australian pine (Casuarina sp.), bushwillow (Combretaceae), olive (Oleaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae). Mould counts were also low.
Durban
Fungal spores were high during this sampling period. Low to moderate grass counts were recorded. Trees were low and included birch (Betulaceae), Australian pine (Casuarina sp.), bushwillow (Combretaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), waxberry (Myricaceae), olive (Oleaceae) and karee (Rhus / Searsia sp.). The weed pollen was also low and included ragweed (Ambrosia sp.), sedges (Cyperaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), English plantain (Plantaginaceae), ferns (Polypodiaceae), sorrel (Rumex sp.) and nettles (Urticaceae).
Gqeberha
Overall low pollen and fungal spore counts were seen in all categories. Tree pollen included only the sumac family (Anacardiaceae) and olive (Oleaceae). The weed pollen detected were pigweed (Amaranthus sp.), spurges (Euphorbiaceae) and sedges (Cyperaceae).
