Useful Tree Species for Eastern Africa
a species selection tool based on the VECEA Map
North Zambezian undifferentiated woodland
Description
The name of “North Zambezian undifferentiated woodland and wooded grassland” directly corresponds to the name given by Frank White for this vegetation type (White 1983 p. 95). A synonym for this vegetation type is "Munga woodland", also a name proposed by Frank White (1965), but a name that was not used in The Vegetation of Africa (White 1983). We expect that the more current name was preferred as “undifferentiated” expresses rapid and kaleidoscopic changes in structure and species composition over short distances, similar to patterns for “undifferentiated forests” (White 1983 p. 47).
North Zambezian Undifferentiated woodland can be more easily defined by the absence of the dominant species of miombo woodland (Wn) and mopane woodland and scrub woodland (Wo) than by its own floristic composition. Although the dominants of miombo woodland are usually absent, some of the associated species are frequently present. Despite its small area, it is composed of many more tree species than either miombo or mopane (White 1983 p. 95).
Several authors such as Fanshawe (1971) have distinguished vegetation subtypes of a Combretum - Terminalia variant on the more elevated and better drained sites, and an Acacia variant on the less elevated and poorer drained sites. The Combretum - Terminalia variant is clearly related to the vegetation type that we mapped as Combretum wooded grassland (Wc) in the VECEA map, but for various reasons explained in Volume 3 (including Box 1), we mapped the Combretum - Terminalia variant as North Zambezian Undifferentiated woodland (Wn).

- Bingham; Figure 9.2 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.
- Characteristic species: Acacia erioloba, Acacia nigrescens, Acacia polyacantha, Acacia robusta, Acacia sieberiana, Acacia tortilis, Adansonia digitata, Afzelia quanzensis, Albizia amara, Albizia harveyi, Albizia versicolor, Annona senegalensis, Borassus aethiopum, Burkea africana, Cassia abbreviata, Combretum adenogonium, Combretum collinum, Combretum imberbe, Combretum molle, Cordyla africana, Croton megalobotrys, Dalbergia boehmii, Erythrophleum africanum, Faidherbia albida, Ficus sycomorus, Hyphaene petersiana, Kigelia africana, Kirkia acuminata, Lannea schweinfurthii, Lonchocarpus capassa, Markhamia obtusifolia, Parinari curatellifolia, Peltophorum africanum, Pericopsis angolensis, Piliostigma thonningii, Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia, Pterocarpus angolensis, Pterocarpus rotundifolius, Sclerocarya birrea, Strychnos potatorum, Tamarindus indica, Terminalia mollis, Terminalia sericea, Azanza garckeana, Trichilia emetica, Xeroderris stuhlmannii, Ziziphus abyssinica
- Other species present: Acacia gerrardii, Acacia nilotica, Acacia seyal, Albizia anthelmintica, Amblygonocarpus andongensis, Antidesma venosum, Bauhinia petersiana, Boscia salicifolia, Brachystegia bussei, Brachystegia longifolia, Combretum zeyheri, Dalbergia melanoxylon, Dichrostachys cinerea, Diospyros kirkii, Diplorhynchus condylocarpon, Entada abyssinica, Erythrina abyssinica, Flueggea virosa, Grewia bicolor, Lannea discolor, Oxytenanthera abyssinica, Ozoroa insignis, Pterocarpus lucens, Salvadora persica, Schinziophyton rautanenii, Securidaca longipedunculata, Sterculia africana, Sterculia quinqueloba, Stereospermum kunthianum, Strychnos spinosa, Trema orientalis, Ximenia americana, Ziziphus mauritiana
- Marginal species (occurrence less certain): Acacia mellifera, Capparis tomentosa, Clerodendrum myricoides, Commiphora africana, Commiphora habessinica, Crossopteryx febrifuga, Dalbergia nitidula, Euclea divinorum, Faurea rochetiana, Flacourtia indica, Gardenia ternifolia, Harungana madagascariensis, Gymnosporia senegalensis, Phoenix reclinata, Sesbania sesban, Strychnos cocculoides, Syzygium guineense, Terminalia prunioides, Vernonia amygdalina
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.Ib | cat.II | cat.IV | cat.V | cat.VI | NC | NP | Sum |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wmd/Wn | 0 | 26 | 4,250 | 0 | 0 | 2,822 | 5,797 | 12,895 |
Wn | 0 | 3,028 | 5,820 | 0 | 8,442 | 2,961 | 40,628 | 60,879 |
Wn/g | 102 | 4,025 | 19,578 | 91 | 48 | 19,594 | 83,426 | 126,864 |
Wn/P | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 698 | 703 |
Sum | 102 | 7,084 | 29,648 | 91 | 8,490 | 25,377 | 130,549 | 201,341 |
IUCN | Wmd/Wn | Wn | Wn/g | Wn/P | Sum |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
cat.Ib | 0 | 0 | 102 | 0 | 102 |
cat.II | 26 | 3,028 | 4,025 | 5 | 7,084 |
cat.IV | 4,250 | 5,820 | 19,578 | 0 | 29,648 |
cat.V | 0 | 0 | 91 | 0 | 91 |
cat.VI | 0 | 8,442 | 48 | 0 | 8,490 |
NC | 2,822 | 2,961 | 19,594 | 0 | 25,377 |
NP | 5,797 | 40,628 | 83,426 | 698 | 130,549 |
Sum | 12,895 | 60,879 | 126,864 | 703 | 201,341 |
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
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