Summary
Grasses are moderate to high in Cape Town and moderate in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Bloemfontein. Tree pollen is high in Johannesburg.
Cape Town
Grasses were moderate to high. Trees were low and included hackberry (Celtis), mulberry (Moraceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), waxberry (Morella), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), spruce (Picea) and pine (Pinaceae). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), erica Ericaceae), protea (Proteaceae), sorrel (Rumex) and bulrush (Typhaceae). Moulds were low except for Alternaria. Strong peaks were seen throughout the sampling week for this allergenic mould.
Johannesburg
Grasses were moderate. Low tree concentrations included acacia (Acacia-type), birch (Betula), false olive (Buddleia), Australian pine (Casuarina), bushwillow (Combretaceae), guarri (Euclea), beech (Fagus), Cape Holly (Ilex), gum (Myrtaceae), willow (Salicaceae), olive (Oleaceae), karee (Searsia) and elm (Ulmaceae). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), pigmyweeds (Crassulaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae0, lily (Liliaceae) and bulrush (Typhaceae) and moulds were low.
Pretoria
6-year means are given due to courier failure. Grasses would be moderate. Low tree concentrations might include cypress (Cupressaceae), plane (Platanaceae), oak (Quercus), bushwillow (Combretaceae), ash (Fraxinus), acacia (Acacia-type), jacaranda (Bignoniaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), poplar (Populaceae), hackberry (Celtis), birch (Betula), pecan (Carya), mesquite (Prosopis) and karee (Searsia). Weeds would be low and include ragweed (Ambrosia), slangbos (Stoebe-type), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), nettles (Urticaceae) and sedges (Cyperaceae) and moulds would be low.
Bloemfontein
Pollen concentrations were low in all categories. Trees included acacia (Acacia-type), birch (Betula), false olive (Buddleia), hackberry (Celtis), Bushwillow (Combretaceae), waxberry (Morella), gum (Myrtaceae), pine (Pinaceae), olive (Oleaceae), poplar (Populaceae), oak (Quercus) and karee (Searsia). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae). Moulds were low.
Kimberley
The Public Holiday has delayed the analysis which will be updated. All pollen concentrations would be low at this site. Trees might include cypress (Cupressaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), ash (Fraxinus), bushwillow (Combretaceae), false olive (Buddleia), oak (Quercus), karee (Searsia), pecan (Carya) and sumac (Anacardiaceae). Weeds could be goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), mezereum (Thymelaeaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), slangbos (Stoebe-type) and aloe (Asphodelaceae). Moulds would be low and fern spores might be present.
Durban
All pollen concentrations were low and trees included monkey puzzle (Araucariaceae), palm (Arecaceae), Birch (Betula), cypress (Cupressaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), waxberry (Morella), gum (Myrtaceae), ebony (Ebenaceae), jacaranda (Bignoniaceae), oak (Quercus), pine (Pinaceae), plane (platanaceae) and yellowwood (Podocarpaceae). Weeds were ragweed (Ambrosia), sunflower (Helianthus), lily (liliaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), nettle (Urticaceae), pigmyweeds (Crassulaceae), the carrot family (Apiaceae) and plantain (Plantaginaceae). Fern spores were present and moulds were low but included some peaks for basidiospores (mushrooms).
Gqeberha
All the pollen concentrations were consistently low at this sampling site. Trees were gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae) and karee (Searsia) and weeds were sedges (Cyperaceae) and mezereum (Thymelaeaceae). Moulds were low.
George
Pollen concentrations were low. Trees were yellowwood (Podocarpaceae) and weeds were figworts (Scrophulariaceae) and the daisy family (Asteraceae). Moulds were low. Two-year means are shown.
Potchefstroom
Grasses were low. Low trees were mulberry (Moraceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae) and yellowwood (Podocarpaceae). Weeds were the daisy family (Asteraceae), the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), 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