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.
- Characteristic species: Alangium chinense, Allanblackia stuhlmannii, Annickia kummerae, Anonidium usambarense, Antiaris toxicaria, Cephalosphaera usambarensis, Chrysophyllum perpulchrum, Cleistanthus polystachyus, Cylicomorpha parviflora, Englerodendron usambarense, Ficus sur, Funtumia africana, Greenwayodendron suaveolens, Isoberlinia scheffleri, Isolona heinsenii, Macaranga capensis, Magnistipula butayei, Maranthes goetzeniana, Morinda asteroscepa, Myrianthus holstii, Newtonia buchananii, Ocotea usambarensis, Parinari excelsa, Parkia filicoidea, Polyceratocarpus scheffleri, Pouteria adolfi-friedericii, Pterocarpus mildbraedii, Rauvolfia caffra, Ricinodendron heudelotii, Schefflerodendron usambarense, Strombosia scheffleri, Strychnos mitis, Synsepalum cerasiferum, Synsepalum msolo, Syzygium micklethwaitii, Treculia africana, Trichilia dregeana, Trilepisium madagascariense, Xymalos monospora, Zenkerella capparidacea
- Other species present: Albizia gummifera, Albizia schimperiana, Anthocleista grandiflora, Blighia unijugata, Cassipourea malosana, Celtis africana, Celtis gomphophylla, Chrysophyllum gorungosanum, Cordia africana, Croton macrostachyus, Croton sylvaticus, Cussonia spicata, Diospyros abyssinica, Dovyalis macrocalyx, Ekebergia capensis, Embelia schimperi, Ensete ventricosum, Ficalhoa laurifolia, Ficus thonningii, Ficus vallis-choudae, Harrisonia abyssinica, Harungana madagascariensis, Ilex mitis, Khaya anthotheca, Landolphia buchananii, Maesopsis eminii, Maytenus acuminata, Milicia excelsa, Olea capensis, Oreobambos buchwaldii, Polyscias fulva, Prunus africana, Pterocarpus tinctorius, Rapanea melanophloeos, Schefflera abyssinica, Shirakiopsis elliptica, Syzygium guineense, Trema orientalis, Zanha golungensis
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 | Ib | II | IV | VI | NC | NP | Sum |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fg | 101 | 106 | 64 | 0 | 166 | 1,301 | 1,738 |
Wmr/Fg | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 131 | 8 | 139 |
Sum | 101 | 106 | 64 | 0 | 297 | 1,309 | 1,877 |
IUCN | Fg | Wmr/Fg | Sum |
---|---|---|---|
Ib | 101 | 0 | 101 |
II | 106 | 0 | 106 |
IV | 64 | 0 | 64 |
VI | 0 | 0 | 0 |
NC | 166 | 131 | 297 |
NP | 1,301 | 8 | 1,309 |
Sum | 1,738 | 139 | 1,877 |
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
- 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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