Summary
Pollen and mould concentrations were low at all sites but ragweed, an allergenic weed was found in Durban and Pretoria.
Cape Town
Pollen in the categories of trees, grasses and weeds remained low at this site. Trees were gum (Myrtaceae), birch (Betula), hackberry (Celtis), cypress (Cupressaceae), jacaranda (Bignoniaceae), olive (Oleaceae) pine (Pinaceae) and oak (Quercus). Weeds were goosefoot (Chenopodiceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae). Moulds were low.
Johannesburg
Tree, grass and weed pollen was low at this site. Trees included false olive (Buddleia), ebony (Ebenaceae), elm (Ulmaceae), karee (Searsia), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae) and birch (Betula). Weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae) and bulrush (Typhaceae). Moulds were low.
Pretoria
Pollen concentrations were low. Trees included hackberry (Celtis), cypress (Cupressaceae), olive (Oleaceae) and poplar (Populaceae). Weeds were ragweed (Ambrosia), the daisy family (Asteraceae), ferns (Polypodiaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae). Moulds were extremely low
Bloemfontein
All pollen concentrations remained low at this site. Trees were acacia (Acacia), false olive (Buddleia), waxberry (Morella), gum (Myrtaceae), pine (Pinaceae), poplar (Populaceae) and oak (Quercus). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), pigmyweeds (Crassulaceae) and ferns (Polypodiaceae). Moulds were low.
Kimberley
Pollen concentrations were low at this sampling site. Trees were birch (Betula), false olive (Buddleia), hackberry (Celtis), olive (Oleaceae), karee (Searsia) and oak (Quercus). Weeds were goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), lily (Liliaceae) and sorrel (Rumex). Moulds were low.
Durban
All pollen concentrations were low at this site. Tree pollen detected was birch (Betula) and elm (Ulmaceae). Weeds included steady low counts for Ambrosia (Ragweed) as well as fern spores (Polypodiaceae), Moulds were low on average but on days without rain peaks were seen for ascospores and basidospores (includes mushrooms).
Gqeberha
Pollen concentrations were consistently low at this site. Trees included waxberry (Morella). Olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae) and karee (Searsia). Weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae) only and moulds were low.
George
Pollen was barely detected at this site. Trees included acacia (Acacia-type), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae) and yellowwood (Podocarpaceae). Weeds were pigweed (Amaraanthaceae), katstert (Anthospermum), sedges (Cyperaceae) and erica (Ericaceae). 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