Summary
Grasses were moderate in Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Kimberley and George. The tree peak persisted in Durban, where mulberry (Moraceae) was the dominant tree.
Cape Town
The spore trap was repaired last week so six-year means are shown. Pollen is generally low in all three categories at this time of the year. Trees would be cypress (Cupressaceae), gum (Myrtaceae) ash (Fraxinus), birch (Betula), pine (Pinaceae), poplar) Populaceae) and karee (Searsia). Weeds might be knotweed (Perisicaria), the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), erica (Ericaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae) and moulds would be low.
Johannesburg
All pollen concentrations were extremely low. Trees included Australian pine (Casuarina), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), pine (Pinaceae) and elm (Ulmaceae). Weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae). Moulds were extremely low.
Pretoria
The spore trap is being repaired so six-year means are shown. Grasses would be moderate. Low tree counts might include mulberry (Moracae), marula (Sclerocarya), gum (Myrtaceae), acacia (Birch), cypress (Cupressaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae) and willow (Salicaceae). Weeds would be the daisy family (Asteraceae) hopbush (Dodonaeae), slangbos (Stoebe-type) and spurges (Euphorbiaceae) and fern spores (Polypodiaceae). Moulds too, would be low.
Bloemfontein
Grasses were moderate. Low tree counts included birch (Betula), cypress (Cupressaceae) and poplar (Populaceae). Weeds were mugwort (Artemisia), the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae). Moulds were low.
Kimberley
Couriers failed to deliver the pollen strip so six-year means are show. Grasses would be moderate to high. Tree pollen would be scant and might include waxberry (Morella), ash (Fraxinus) and gum (Myrtaceae). Weeds would be the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) and sedges (Cyperaceae) and moulds would be low.
Durban
Grasses were moderate. Trees were high and included palm (Arecaceae), Australian (Casuarina), cypress (Cupressaceae), guarri (Euclea), the dominant tree mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), waxberry (Morella), pine (Pinaceae) and poplar (Populaceae). Weeds were ice plants (Aizoaceae), aloe (Asphodelaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Moulds were moderate to high with peaks for the allergenic mould Cladosporium.
Gqeberha
Pollen concentrations were low in all three categories. Trees included Australian pine (Casuarina), waxberry (Morella) and olive (Oleaceae). Weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae) the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and slangbos (Stoebe-type). Moulds were low.
George
Grasses were moderate at this sampling site. Low tree concentrations included birch (Betula), cypress (Cupressaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), pine (Pinaceae) and poplar (Populaceae). Weeds were mugwort (Artemisia), the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) sedges (Cyperaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae). 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