Useful Tree Species for Eastern Africa
a species selection tool based on the VECEA Map
Palm wooded grasslands
Description
Palm wooded grasslands are limited in area, but can easily be distinguished in the field, from aerial photographs or even some satellite imagery. Palm wooded grasslands often occur on riverine locations or in areas with drainage impediments. It would therefore be perfectly acceptable to classify and map these vegetation types as “edaphic wooded grassland” (wd) or “riverine wooded grassland” (wr), which we have done in several situations. We think that discrimination between these vegetation types is more a question of the scale of mapping since palm trees can easily be identified in the field.

J. Kalema; Figure 15.1 in VECEA Volume 3
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.
- Dominant species: Borassus aethiopum, Cocos nucifera, Elaeis guineensis, Hyphaene compressa, Hyphaene coriacea, Hyphaene petersiana, Hyphaene thebaica, Phoenix reclinata, Raphia farinifera
- Other species present: Acacia erioloba, Acacia nigrescens, Acacia sieberiana, Acacia xanthophloea, Adansonia digitata, Albizia versicolor, Burkea africana, Diospyros mespiliformis, Faidherbia albida, Kigelia africana, Lannea schweinfurthii, Lonchocarpus capassa, Piliostigma thonningii, Sterculia africana, Terminalia sericea, Trichilia emetica
- Marginal species (occurrence less certain): Acacia polyacantha, Combretum collinum
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.III | cat.IV | cat.VI | NC | NP | Sum |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Be/P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 17 |
g/P | 51 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 604 | 667 |
P | 83 | 0 | 12 | 72 | 64 | 2,062 | 2,293 |
Wcd/P | 0 | 365 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 165 | 538 |
wd/P | 3 | 76 | 0 | 49 | 0 | 501 | 629 |
Wn/P | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 698 | 703 |
X/P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 715 | 715 |
Sum | 142 | 441 | 12 | 129 | 76 | 4,762 | 5,562 |
IUCN | Be/P | g/P | P | Wcd/P | wd/P | Wn/P | X/P | Sum |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
cat.II | 0 | 51 | 83 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 142 |
cat.III | 0 | 0 | 0 | 365 | 76 | 0 | 0 | 441 |
cat.IV | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
cat.VI | 0 | 0 | 72 | 8 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 129 |
NC | 0 | 12 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 76 |
NP | 17 | 604 | 2,062 | 165 | 501 | 698 | 715 | 4,762 |
Sum | 17 | 667 | 2,293 | 538 | 629 | 703 | 715 | 5,562 |
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.