Useful Tree Species for Eastern Africa
a species selection tool based on the VECEA Map
Montane Ericaceous belt (E)
Description
White (1983) refers to Afromontane evergreen bushland and thickets that occur on most of the higher African mountains and that characteristically occupy a large part of the Ericaceous mountain belt. They are also found on the crests and summits of smaller mountains (especially those that are situated close to the ocean or a large lake) or locally on shallow soils within the Afromontane forest belt. Where the ground is not very rocky and has been protected for several years, such as on wetter mountains as the Ruwenzori Mts., almost impenetrable thickets of 3 to 13 m are formed. On drier and rocky slopes, the vegetation is an open community of bushes that is often discontinuous and merges into Afromontane shrubland. Afromontane evergreen bushland and thicket varies greatly in floristic composition, but species of the Blaeria, Erica and Vaccinium Ericaceae genera are nearly always present and sometimes exclusively dominant (White 1983 p. 167 - 168).

I.Friis and Sebsebe Demissew 2005; Figure 7.1 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: Agauria salicifolia, Erica arborea, Erica benguelensis, Erica johnstoniana, Erica johnstonii, Erica kingaensis, Erica milanjiana, Erica rossii, Erica trimera, Erica whyteana
- Other species present: Adenocarpus mannii, Faurea saligna, Hypericum revolutum, Rapanea melanophloeos
- Marginal species (occurrence less certain): Berberis holstii, Clematis simensis, Discopodium eremanthum, Dombeya torrida, Gnidia glauca, Hagenia abyssinica, Morella salicifolia, Rhus glutinosa
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 | II | IV | VI | NC | NP | Sum |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
E | 1,927 | 281 | 1,261 | 498 | 5,374 | 9,341 |
E/Fc | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 0 | 55 |
Sum | 1,927 | 281 | 1,261 | 553 | 5,374 | 9,396 |
IUCN | E | E/Fc | Sum |
---|---|---|---|
II | 1,927 | 0 | 1,927 |
IV | 281 | 0 | 281 |
VI | 1,261 | 0 | 1,261 |
NC | 498 | 55 | 553 |
NP | 5,374 | 0 | 5,374 |
Sum | 9,341 | 55 | 9,396 |
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.