Summary
Grasses are increasing in Kimberley, trees are low at all sites except Vanderbijlpark, south of Johannesburg and weeds and moulds were detected in low concentrations at all sites.
Cape Town
All pollen concentrations were low. Tree pollen included the monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria angustifolia), gum (Myrtaceae), karee (Rhus/Searsia), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), pine (Pinaceae) and olive (Oleaceae). Weeds were the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), English plantain (PLantaginaceae) and erica (Ericaceae). Grasses were low, as were moulds.
Johannesburg Central
Low pollen loads were recovered during this sampling week. Trees were birch (Betulaceae), false olive (Buddleia), Australian pine (Casuarina), white stinkwood (Celtis) bushwillow (Combretaceae), persimmon (Ebenaceae), jacaranda (Fabaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), karee (Rhus/Searsia) and elm (Ebenaceae) Weeds were mugwort (Artemisia), the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), ferns (Polypodiaceae), bulrush (Typhaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae).
Johannesburg South
Tree concentrations were moderate at this sampling site and included the monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria angustifolia), birch (Betulaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), olive (Oleaceae), oak (Quercus), karee (Rhus/Searsia) and the dominant tree at this site: Gum (Myrtaceae). Weeds were pigweed (Amaranthaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae) and bulrush (Typhaceae). Moulds were low.
Pretoria
Pollen counts are iusually low at this time of year. Trees would be Australian pine (Casuarina), Karee (Rhus/Searsia), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), jacaranda (Fabaceae), oak (Quercus) and cypress (Cupressaceae). Weeds are likely to be the daisy family (Asteraceae), ferns (Polypodiaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), figworts (Scrophulariaceae), nettles (Urticaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae). Moulds are invariably low. 5-year means are shown.
Bloemfontein
Trees are now declining to low concentrations, but moderate counts were seen for olive (Oleaceae). Other trees included false olive (Buddleia), sumac (Anacardiaceae), white stinkwood (Celtis), poplar (Populaceae) and karee (Rhus/Searsia). Weeds are the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), pigmyweeds (Crassulaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae). Moulds are low.
Kimberley
Grasses increased to moderate concentrations at this sampling site. Trees were low and included the monkey puzzle tree (Auracaria), bushwillow (Combretaceae), olive (Oleaceae), ash (Fraxinus) and karee (Rhus/Searsia). Weeds were the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), nettles (Urticaceae), protea (Proteaceae), knotweed (Persicaria) and sedges (Cyperaceae). Moulds were low.
Durban
Low pollen concentrations were detected at this sampling site. Trees included the monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria angustifolia), ash (Fraxinus), pine (Pinaceae), birch (Betulaceae), olive (Oleaceae), oak (Quercus) mulberry (Moraceae). Weeds were goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), ferns (Polypodiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae). Moulds ranged from low to moderate with spikes for ascospores.
Gqeberha
Pollen concentrations were all low. Trees included acacia (Acacia-type), the monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria angustifolia), The sumac family (Anacardiaceae), waxberry (Moraceae) and olive (Oleaceae). Weeds were ice-plants (Aizoaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), ericas (Ericaceae), slangbos (Stoebe-type) and spurges (Euphorbiaceae). Moulds were low.
George
Tree, grass and weed pollen loads were slight at this sampling site. Trees included olive (Oleaceae), chestnut (Hippocastanaceae), pine (Pinaceae), yellowwood (Araucariaceae), karee (Rhus/Searsia) and the monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria angustifolia), Weeds included sedges (Cyperaceae), ferns (Polypodiaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), bulrush (Typhaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae).
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
