Useful Tree Species for Eastern Africa

a species selection tool based on the VECEA Map



Zanzibar-Inhambane transitional rain forest

Description

White (1983) describes the summits of the transitional rain forests of the East Usambara Mountains as a typical example of Zanzibar-Inhambane transitional rain forest.

The East Usambara Mountains are not high enough for the occurrence of Afromontane rain forest ( Fa ), but several Afromontane species occur at altitudes that are much lower than their normal limits on other mountains. Other examples of Zanzibar-Inhambane transitional rain forest, although floristically poorer, occur in Malawi (Misuku Hills (1370 m), Machemba Hill, Mt. Nchisi, Lisau Saddle and Chaone Hill) and Zimbabwe (Chirinda forest, White 1983 p. 187).

More than 40 percent of the species are endemic to the East Usambara Mountains. Most of these endemic species are floristically related to species that occur in the lowland rain forests of the Guineo-Congolian regional centre of endemism. The pattern that many species are separated by a wide interval with their congeneric species suggests that the East Usambara Mountains is a refugium for a flora that was previously distributed over a much larger area.

Almost 30 percent the species are either Afromontane or upland (‘lower transitional rain forest’) species. Most of the remaining species also occur in the Guineo-Congolian regional centre of endemism (White 1983 p. 187). Lovett (1990 p. 292) suggests that in the future, Zanzibar-Inhambane transitional rain forest should be regarded as an Afromontane forest type rather than a Zanzibar-Inhambane forest type since the proportion of Afromontane species is greater.

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.

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.

PNVIbIIIVVINCNPSum
Fg1011066401661,3011,738
Wmr/Fg00001318139
Sum1011066402971,3091,877
IUCNFgWmr/FgSum
Ib1010101
II1060106
IV64064
VI000
NC166131297
NP1,30181,309
Sum1,7381391,877

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

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