Summary
Inclement weather including heavy rain in Gauteng and the Free State reduced pollen in the atmosphere. Gale force winds as well as torrential rain in Cape Town made it impossible to harvest trapped pollen for analysis. Pollen concentrations are low at all sites except Durban where trees are still flowering.
Cape Town
Pollen would be low at this sampling site. Flowering trees might be linden (Tilia), cypress (Cupressaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), peppertree (Schinus sp), forest elder (Nuxia), sumac (Anacardiaceae), waxberry (Morella), karee Searsia), pine (Pinaceae), mesquite (Prosopis) and the monkey puzzle tree (Araucariaceae). Weeds might be the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot), mugwort (Artemisia), sorrel (Rumex). Ferns (Polypodiaceae) are usually seen and moulds would be low. The spore trap strip could not be collected during the severe storm on Monday, so 6-year means were calculated.
Johannesburg
Extremely low pollen and mould counts were found at this sampling site after copious rain. Trees included only gum (Myrtaceae) and weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae) and the daisy family (Asteraceae).
Pretoria
Pollen is invariably low at this time of the year. Trees would be gum (Myrtaceae), karee (Searsia), sand olive (Dodonaea). marula (Sclerocarya), bushwillow (Combretaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), ash (Fraxinus), oak (Quercus), beech (Fagus) and birch (Betula). Weeds would be slangbos (Stoebe-type), the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), erica (Ericaceae), the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Ferns would be seen and moulds would be low. Six-year means are shown.
Bloemfontein
Pollen loads were slight at this sampling site. Trees included poplar (Populaceae) and karee (Searsia) and weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), pigmyweeds (Crassulaceae) and caltrops (Zygophyllaceae). Fern spores (Polypodiaceae) were present and moulds were low.
Kimberley
Pollen in all three categories was low. Trees included bushwillow (Combretaceae), olive (Oleaceae) and karee (Searsia) and weeds were mugwort (Artemisia), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae) and gentians (Gentianaceae). Moulds were low.
Durban
Pollen was low in all three categories. Trees included palm (Arecaceae), birch (Betula), Australian pine (Casuarina), ebony (Ebenaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), waxberry (Morella), gum (Myrtaceae), poplar (Populaceae), oak (Quercus) and elm (Ulmaceae). Weeds were ragweed (Ambrosia) mugwort (Artemisia), aloe (Asphelodaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), the carrot family (Apiaceae), lily (Liliaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), the rose family (Rosaceae), reeds (Restionaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Fern spores (Polypodiaceae) were seen and moulds were moderate.
Gqeberha
Pollen and mould counts were low at this site. Trees were acacia (Acacia-type), cedar (Cedrus) and gum (Myrtaceae) and weeds were coffee bush (Bruniaceae) and slangbos (Stoebe-type).
George
Pollen was insignificant in all categories at this site. Trees were gum (Myrtaceae), forest elder (Nuxia), waxberry (Morella) and pine (Pinaceae). Weeds were mugwort (Artemisia), spurges (Euphorbiaceae) and goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae. Ferns (Polypodiaceae) were detected and moulds were low. Two-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