Weekly Report

29 January 2021

City
Overall Risk
Tree Pollen
Grass Pollen
Weed Pollen
Mould Spores

Cape Town

Grasses are low. Trees remain low, with eucalyptus (Myrtaceae), acacia (Acacia sp.), waxberry (Myricaceae) and cypress (Cupressaceae) detected. Weed counts were very low, including the daisy family (Asteraceae), English plantain (Plantago), erica (Ericaceae), duckweed (Lemnaceae) and buttercups (Ranunculaceae). Moulds were low with a small but insignificant spike for Alternaria following the rain.

Johannesburg

Grasses increased to moderate levels despite the rain that washes pollen from the air. Very low tree levels were seen as yellowwood (Podocarpus) and white stinkwood (Ulmaceae) were detected. Weeds were low and the types detected included English Plantain (Plantago), the pinks and carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) and mallow (Malvaceae). Moulds were low.

Grasses were low to moderate. Low tree levels included linden (Tilia) waxberry (Myricaceae), eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) and Rhus/Searsia (karee). Low weed levels included the daisy family (Asteraceae), English Plantain (Plantaginaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and protea (Proteaceae). Moulds were low.

Bloemfontein

Problems with the spore trap rendered the findings from this site unreliable. Historical data from the same time period in January 2020 are shown. It is likely that the grass levels are high as they are in Kimberley, but please note that these are not current pollen levels.

Kimberley

Grass levels were high and several degranulating grains were detected. Tree pollen levels were low. The types detected were bayberry (Morella), jacaranda (Fabaceae), pine (Pinaceae), white stinkwood (Celtis sp) and eucalyptus (Myrtaceae). Low weed levels included ragweed (Ambrosia spp), sedges (Cyperaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), nettle (Urticaceae) and slangbos (Stoebe). Moulds were low overall, but significant Alternaria levels were detected.

Durban

Grass levels were low. Low tree levels were detected, which included birch (Betulaceae), plane (Platanus) and eucalyptus (Myrtaceae). Low weed levels included the daisy family (Asteraceae), English Plantain (Plantago), ferns (Polypodiaceae), ragweed (Ambrosia spp), sedges (Cyperaceae) and slangbos (Stoebe). Moulds were moderate to high with strong spikes for ascospores, basidiospores and Cladosporium on some days.

Gqeberha

Low grass levels were detected. Tree levels were low and only Australian pine (Casuarina) was found. Low weed levels included sedges (Cyperaceae), the pink or carnation family (Caryophyllaceae) and lilies (Liliaceae). Moulds were very low.