Summary
Grass pollen was moderate in Kimberley, but pollen concentrations were generally low throughout the country.
Cape Town
Pollen was low and moulds were scanty. Trees included Australian pine (Casuarina), cypress (Cupressaceae), pine (Pinaceae) and poplar (Populaceae). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), hemp (Cannabaceae), erica (Ericaceae) and bulrush (Typhaceae). Moulds were low.
Johannesburg
Pollen was low in all three categories. Trees were bushwillow (Combretaceae), beech (Fagus) and gum (Myrtaceae) and weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae) and slangbos (Stoebe-type). Moulds were low.
Pretoria
At this site pollen would be low. Trees would likely include hopbush (Dodonaea), gum (Myrtcaeae), the sumac family (Anacardiaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), acacia (Acacia-type), bushwillow (Combretaceae), ash (Fraxinus), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), willow (Salix) and elm (Ulmaceae). Weeds might be the daisy family (Asteraceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae) and slangbos (Stoebe-type). Moulds would be low. 5-year means were used.
Bloemfontein
Trees at this sampling site would be low but varied at this time of the year and might include false olive (Buddleia), poplar (Populaceae), olive (Oleaceae), karee (Searsia), the sumac family (Anacardiaceae), cypress (Cupressceae), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae) and pine (Pinaceae). Weeds would be the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), mugwort (Artemisia), nettles (Urticaceae) and sedges (Cyperacerae). Moulds would be low.
Kimberley
Grasses are usually moderate at this sampling site in May. Trees might be cypress (Cupressaceae) and karee (Searsia), weeds would likely be goosefoot (Chenopodiacae), the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae) and the daisy family (Asteraceae) and moulds would be low. Six-year means are shown.
Durban
Pollen concentrations were low. Trees included ebony (Ebenaceae), birch (Betula), palm (Arecaceae), waxberry (Morella) and gum (Myrtaceae). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), mallows (Malvaceae), protea (Proteaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae). Moulds were moderate and significant peaks for Cladosporium, the allergenic mould, were seen.
Gqeberha
Pollen concentrations were extremely low at this sampling site. No tree pollen was detected and only pigweed (Amaranthaceae) was seen in the weed category. Moulds were low.
George
All pollen concentrations would be low at this sampling site. Trees might be karee (Searsia) or yellowwood (Podocarpaceae) and weeds might be mugwort (Artemisia), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), protea (Proteaceae), erica (Ericaceae) or mezereum (Thymelaeaeceae). Moulds would be low. 2-year means are shown.
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