Useful Tree Species for Eastern Africa
a species selection tool based on the VECEA Map
Termitaria vegetation
Description
Termite mounds that are more than a metre in diameter are usually covered with dense thickets, unless they have been newly built or are in the final stages of erosion. The species composition of these thickets is completely different from that on the surrounding soil. This pattern is particularly true for the Zambezian region where the flora of termite-mound thickets is extremely high (with more than 700 woody species occurring in this habitat in Zambia alone; White 1983 p. 98).
In the Zambezian region, the flat valley bottoms of larger rivers are usually flooded annually or at least seasonally waterlogged. Where the flood water is shallow, “bush-group” grassland often occurs extensively; this is a mosaic of pure grassland and termite-mound thicket (White 1983 p. 100).

C. Dudley; Figure 8.1 in VECEA Volume 4
Useful woody species
The main species recorded to occur within this vegetation type are listed below. Clicking the name of any of these species will open the page for that species on the Agroforestry Species Switchboard.
- Characteristic species: Colophospermum mopane, Manilkara mochisia
- Other species present: Acacia nigrescens, Albizia amara, Albizia anthelmintica, Allophylus africanus, Apodytes dimidiata, Boscia angustifolia, Carissa spinarum, Cassia abbreviata, Combretum imberbe, Combretum molle, Dalbergia melanoxylon, Diospyros bussei, Diospyros consolatae, Diospyros lycioides, Diospyros mespiliformis, Dobera glabra, Erythrina abyssinica, Erythrophleum suaveolens, Euclea natalensis, Euphorbia candelabrum, Flueggea virosa, Garcinia livingstonei, Grewia bicolor, Kirkia acuminata, Lannea schweinfurthii, Markhamia zanzibarica, Parinari curatellifolia, Peltophorum africanum, Rhoicissus tridentata, Sideroxylon inerme, Steganotaenia araliacea, Sterculia africana, Sterculia quinqueloba, Strychnos potatorum, Syzygium cordatum, Syzygium guineense, Tamarindus indica, Azanza garckeana, Ziziphus mucronata
- Marginal species (occurrence less certain): Abutilon angulatum, Acacia gerrardii, Acacia nilotica, Antidesma venosum, Balanites aegyptiaca, Bauhinia petersiana, Berchemia discolor, Boscia salicifolia, Capparis tomentosa, Commiphora africana, Dichrostachys cinerea, Dombeya kirkii, Dombeya rotundifolia, Entandrophragma caudatum, Euclea divinorum, Euclea racemosa, Ficus sycomorus, Flacourtia indica, Kigelia africana, Landolphia kirkii, Lannea discolor, Lonchocarpus capassa, Margaritaria discoidea, Markhamia obtusifolia, Gymnosporia senegalensis, Olea europaea, Oncoba spinosa, Oxytenanthera abyssinica, Phoenix reclinata, Phytolacca dodecandra, Piliostigma thonningii, Psydrax parviflora, Pterocarpus angolensis, Schinziophyton rautanenii, Rhus tenuinervis, Senna singueana, Strychnos lucens, Uapaca kirkiana, Uapaca nitida, Uapaca sansibarica, Vitex doniana, Ximenia americana, Zanthoxylum chalybeum
For more detailed information about the species occurrences see this excel workbook. It provides country specific information on species composition for this vegetation type. It also allows you to select a subset of useful tree species to provide desired products and services. For each species links to a number of websites / databases with information about this species are provided as well.
Conservation status
The table shows the area (km2) of the PNV is outside the protected areas (NP) and the area protected within one of the protected areas, split by IUCN management category. Only the nationally designated protected areas were included.
PNV | cat.II | cat.VI | NC | NP | Sum |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
g/T | 3,163 | 4,008 | 682 | 10,583 | 18,436 |
Sum | 3,163 | 4,008 | 682 | 10,583 | 18,436 |
IUCN | g/T | Sum |
---|---|---|
cat.II | 3,163 | 3,163 |
cat.VI | 4,008 | 4,008 |
NC | 682 | 682 |
NP | 10,583 | 10,583 |
Sum | 18,436 | 18,436 |
Ia - Strict nature reserve, Ib - Wilderness area, II - National park, III - Natural monument or feature, IV - Habitat/species management area, V - Protected landscape/seascape, VI - Protected area with sustainable use of natural resources, NC - unclassified or not assigned, NP - outside the protected areas
Links
- More about the species selection tool
- Go back to the index other vegetation types
- Go back to http://vegetationmap4africa.org
- The map is described in detail in the documentation.
Citation and terms of use
- Kindt R, van Breugel P, Orwa C, Lillesø JPB, Jamnadass R and Graudal L (2015) Useful tree species for Eastern Africa: a species selection tool based on the VECEA map. Version 2.0. World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and Forest & Landscape Denmark. http://vegetationmap4africa.org
- van Breugel P, Kindt R, Lillesø JPB, Bingham M, Demissew S, Dudley C, Friis I, Gachathi F, Kalema J, Mbago F, Moshi HN, Mulumba, J, Namaganda M, Ndangalasi HJ, Ruffo CK, Védaste M, Jamnadass R and Graudal L (2015) Potential Natural Vegetation Map of Eastern Africa (Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia). Version 2.0. Forest and Landscape (Denmark) and World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF). URL: http://vegetationmap4africa.org
Click here for the full terms of use, disclaimer and errors and omissions statement that accompanies our data. When using our data, you agree with these terms.