Useful Tree Species for Eastern Africa

a species selection tool based on the VECEA Map

Afroalpine vegetation

Description

The highest mountains of tropical Africa (≥ 3800 m, including the Aberdares (Kenya), Mt. Elgon (Kenya and Uganda), Mt. Kenya, Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), Mt. Meru (Tanzania), the Ruwenzori Mts. (Uganda and DRC) and the Virunga Mts. (Rwanda and DRC) and the higher peaks of Ethiopia hold the physiognomically mixed vegetation type of Afroalpine vegetation that occurs where night frosts are liable to occur throughout the year (White 1983 pp. 46 and 169). Afroalpine vegetation can be characterized by the occurrence of Giant Senecio species (up to 6 m; Senecio subgenus Dendrosenecio), Giant Lobelia species (up to 6 m), shrubby Alchemilla species and other plants of remarkable lifeforms. Since most of the species also occur in the montane Ericaceous ( E ) and Afromontane forest belts ( Fa, Fb and Fd ), Afroalpine vegetation can be regarded as an archipelago-like floristic region of extreme floristic impoverishment (White 1983 p. 169).

Namaganda June 2008; Figure 3.4 in VECEA Volume 5

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: Alchemilla argyrophylla, Alchemilla elgonensis, Alchemilla johnstonii, Lobelia deckenii, Lobelia rhynchopetalum, Lobelia stuhlmannii, Lobelia telekii, Lobelia wollastonii, Senecio myriocephalus, Dendrosenecio adnivalis, Dendrosenecio elgonensis, Dendrosenecio johnstonii, Dendrosenecio keniodendron, Dendrosenecio kilimanjari, Senecio subsessilis
Other species present: Erica arborea, Helichrysum formosissimum, Hypericum revolutum
Marginal species (occurrence less certain): Adenocarpus mannii

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
A	2,017	544	1,485	72	5,296	9,414
Sum	2,017	544	1,485	72	5,296	9,414

IUCN	A	Sum
II	2,017	2,017
IV	544	544
VI	1,485	1,485
NC	72	72
NP	5,296	5,296
Sum	9,414	9,414

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

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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Terms of use

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Errors and omissions
The VECEA team endeavour to maintain accurate and up-to-date data at all times. However, if errors or omissions are identified, the user should notify the VECEA team so that they can be corrected in future releases of the data. Users can contact the VECEA team using the contact form.