A traveller's guide to the wildflowers and common trees of East Africa

127 Pages·2007·30.827 MB·English

by  David J. Allen

A TRAVELLER'S GUIDE TO THE
Wildflowers
and Common Trees
of East Africa
2
-5 -:'"a. ~ght CONTENTS PAGE
:-s :::.-s- :· ::-: :::_-:-:· _:;: __ -e·e LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 6
-~- ~
s-~:e: ::-::- ::: - -: _s: :: --:=.: :-s. FOREWORD 12
PREFACE 13
Desig-ec a.,c :Jroc~cec :J). INTRODUCTION 16
Ca-e~: :1 ~ _: s-~~ -:e-_:: .:-==-. Geology 16
::>Q 3:x .::;:..:.3. :::o: c;)c Climate and Season 19
a ""OJ. (e-)a Plant Ecology and Adaptation 19
Biodiversity and Endemism 24
Alien Introductions 26
© Dav1d J. Allen, 2007 Vegetation Zones 28
Grassland and Grazing 28
ISBN: 1-904722-28·8 1. Plants of Dry and Semi-arid Bushland 36
Desert Rose (Adenium obesum) 36
Dead Sea Fruit (Calotropis procera) 38
Caralluma (Carallumo speciosa) 40
ALL rights reserved.
Commiphora (Commiphora africana) 42
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca) 44
in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or
Terminalia (Termina/ia brownil) 46
by any means, electronically or mechanically,
Velvet-leaved Combretum (Combretum mol/e) 48
including photocopying, recording or any information
Candelabra Tree (Euphorbia candelabrum) 50
storage or retrieval system without prior permission
Kibwezi Tree-Euphorbia (Euphorbia bussei var.
of the publisher. kibwezensis) 52
Baobab (Adansonia digitata) 54
Printed in Singapore. Red Hot-poker Tree (EI)!thrina abyssinica) 56
Grewia (Crewia bico/or) 58
Wild Sisal (Sansevieria ehrenbergil) 60
Tree Aloe (Aloe vo/kensiO 62
Glory Lily (Glorioso superba) 64
Xerophyta (Xerophyta sp.) 66
Bead-bean (Maerua angolensis) 68
Grey-leaved Cordia (Cordia sinensis) 70
2. Wooded Grassland Plants 72
Umbrella Thorn (Acacia tortilis) 72
White-galled Acacia (Acacia seyaD 74
Cover: (left) F1g. 71 Sand Olive (Oodonaeo ongustifotiol.
(right) F1g. 113 Blue Bog Lobelia (lobelia deckeniil _ Whistling Thorn (Acacia drepanolobium) 76
(Photo: Tore Hagen), (middle) Fig. 24 Glory L1ly (GJonosa superbo) Sickle Bush (Oichrostachys cinerea) 78
(Photo: Andrew Beckett). (bottom) Acacia silhouetted against red sky Waste Paper Plant (Cycnium tubulosum ssp.
(Photo: Karl Ammann).
montanum) 80
Back Cover: The Author. on Mount Meru (Photo: Simon Carter). Commicarpus (Commicarpus pedunculosus) 82
4
Yellow Crane's-bill (Mansonia longipes) 84 Pillar-Wood (Cassipourea malosana) 166
Lion's Ear (Leonotis nepetifolia) 86 Spiny Tree Fern (Cyathea manniana) 168
Sodom Apple (Solanum incanum) 88 Wild Banana (Ensete ventricosum) 170
Morning-glory (Ipomoea mombassana) 90 Strangler Fig (Ficus thonningit) 172
Milkweed (Gomphocarpus fruticosus) 92 Pink Balsam (Impatiens pseudoviola) 174
Pentanisia (Pentanisia ouranogyne) 94 Kilimanjaro Balsam (Impatiens kilimanjan) 176
Heliotrope (Heliotropium undulatifolium) 96 Streptocarpus (Streptocarpus glandulosissimus) 178
Cyphostemma (Cyphostemma orondo) 98 Mexican Fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus) 180
Dolichos (Dolichos luticola) 100 Fire-ball Lily (Scadoxus multif/orus) 182
Vernonia (Vernonia lasiopus) 102 Stairs' Disa (Disa stairsit) 184
Blue Marguerite (Felicia muricata) 104 Mountain Bamboo (Arundinaria alpina) 186
Bur Marigold (Bidens schimpen) 106 Hagenia (Hagenia abyssinica) 188
Aspilia (Aspi/ia mossambicensis) 108 Giant St. John's-wort (Hypericum revolutum) 190
Kleinia (Kleinia abyssinica) 110 Lion's Claw (Crotalaria agatiflora) 192
Androcymbium (Androcymbium melanthoides) 112
Chlorophytum (Chlorophytum tenuifolium) 114 5. Moorland and Afro-Alpine Flowers 194
Pyjama Lily (Crinum macowanii) 116 Tree Heath (Erica arborea) 194
Parrot Gladiolus (Gladiolus natalensis) 118 Stoebe (Stoebe kilimandscharica) 196
Yellow Eulophia (Eulophia zeyhen) 120 Protea (Protea cajfra) 198
Bonatea (Bonatea steudnen) 122 Blue Delphinium (Delphinium macrocentron) 200
White Delphinium (Delphinium leroyt) 202
3. Riverine and Ground Water Forest 124 Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia thomsonit) 204
Yellow-barked Acacia (Acacia xanthophloea) 124 African Blue-eyed Grass (Aristea alata) 206
Sycamore Fig (Ficus sycomorus) 126 Kenyan Sand-crocus (Romulea keniensis) 208
Cape Mahogany (Trichilia emetica) 128 Evening Flower (Hesperantha petitiana) 210
Broad-leaved Croton (Croton macrostachyus) 130 African Harebell (Dierama cupif/orum) 212
Rauvolfia (Rauvolfia caffra) 132 Red Mountain Gladiolus (Gladiolus watsonioides) 214
Wild Mango (Tabernaemontana ventricosa) 134 Lobelia (Lobelia holstit) 216
Toothbrush Tree (Salvadora persica) 136 Swertia (Swertia crassiuscula) 218
Large-leaved Cordia (Cordia africana) 138 Mountain Pimpernel (Anagal/is serpens) 220
Blue-bark Cordia (Cordia goetzei) 140 Rwenzori Stonecrop (Sedum ruwenzoriense) 222
African Tulip Tree (Spathodea campanulata) 142 Hebenstretia (Hebenstretia angolensis) 224
Sausage Tree (Kige/ia africana) 144 Haplocarpha (Haplocarpha ruepellit) 226
Wild Date Palm (Phoenix rec/inata) 146 Euryops (Euryops dacrydioides) 228
Borassus Palm (Borassus aethiopum) 148 Mountain Thistle (Carduus keniensis) 230
Great Sedge (Cyperus immensus) 150 Giant Groundsel (Senecio johnstonii ssp. cottonii) 232
Cabbage Groundsel (Senecio keniensis ssp.
4. Sub-montane and Montane Forest 152 keniensis) 234
Red Thorn (Acacia lahOt) 152 Rose Groundsel (Senecio roseif/orus) 236
Sand Olive (Dodonaea angustifolia) 154 Blue Bog Lobelia (Lobelia deckenit) 238
African Pencil Cedar (Juniperus procera) 156 Mount Kenya Giant Lobelia (Lobelia telekit) 240
Aerangis (Aerangis thomsonit) 158 Alpine Rock-cress (Arabis alpina) 242
Podo (Podocarpus latifolius) 160 Everlasting-flower (Helichrysum newit) 244
Nuxia (Nuxia congesta) 162
GLOSSARY 246
Cape Chestnut (Calodendrum capense) 164
REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING 247
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Fig. 28 Umbrella Thorn (Acacia tortilis)
Fig. 29 White-galled Acacia (Acacia seyaD
Fig. 1 Kopjes are intrusions of granite that are striking Fig. 30 Whistling Thorn (Acacia drepanolobium)
features of the plains Fig. 31 Sickle Bush Wichrostachys cinerea)
Fig. 2 Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest unflooded, Fig. 32 Wastepaper Plant (Cycnium tubulosum spp.
unbroken caldera (Photo: David Pluth) monta num)
Fig. 3 The Great Rift Valley: the wall to the rift above the Fig. 33 Commicarpus (Commicarpus pedunculosus)
western shore of Lake Manyara Fig. 34 Yellow Crane's-bill (Mansonia longipes)
Fig. 4 Mount Meru: the ash cone is a reminder of the Fig. 35 Lion's Ear (Leonotis nepetifolia)
one-time terrestrial confusion (Photo: Simon Carter) Fig. 36 Sodom Apple (So/anum incanum)
Fig. 5 Olduvai Gorge: the best known site where fossil Fig. 37 Morning-glory (Ipomoea mombassana)
finds of early man have been made Fig. 38 Milkweed (Gomphocarpus fruticosus)
Fig. 6 The columnar nests of termites can be Fig. 39 Pentanisia (Pentanisia ouranogyne)
conspicuous in semi-arid areas Fig. 40 Heliotrope (Heliotropium undulatifolium)
Fig. 7 Wooded grassland in Tarangire National Park in the Fig. 41 Cyphostemma (Cyphostemma orondo)
dry season Fig. 42 Dolichos (Oolichos luticola)
Fig. 8 Montane forest on Kilimanjaro Fig. 43 Vernonia (Vernonia lasiopus)
Fig. 9 Moorland on the Shira Plateau, Kilimanjaro Fig. 44 Blue Marguerite (Felicia muricata)
Fig. 10 Desert Rose (Adenium obesum) Fig. 45 Bur Marigold (Bidens schimpen)
Fig. 11 Dead Sea Fruit (Ca/otropis procera) Fig. 46 Aspilia (Aspi/ia mossambicensis)
Fig. 12 Caralluma (Caralluma speciosa) Fig. 47 Kleinia (Kieinia abyssinica)
Fig. 13 Commiphora (Commiphora africana) Fig. 48 Androcymbium (Androcymbium melanthoides)
Fig. 14 Desert Date (Balanites aegyptiaca) Fig. 49 Chlorophytum (Chlorophytum tenuifolium)
Fig. 15 Terminalia (Terminalia brownii) Fig. 50 Pyjama Lily (Crinum macowanil)
Fig. 16 Velvet-leaved Combretum (Combretum mol/e) Fig. 51 Parrot Gladiolus (Gladiolus natalensis)
Fig. 17 Candelabra Tree (Euphorbia candelabrum) Fig. 52 White Gladiolus (Gladiolus ukambanensis)
Fig. 18 Kibwezi Tree Euphorbia (Euphorbia bussei var. Fig. 53 Yellow Eulophia (Eulophia zeyhen)
kibwezensis) Fig 54 Eulophia wakej)eldii
Fig. 19 Baobab (Adansonia digitata) Fig. 55 Bonatea (Banatea steudnen)
Fig. 20 Red Hot-poker Tree (Erythrina abyssinica) Fig. 56 Yellow-barked Acacia (Acacia xanthophlaea)
Fig. 21 Grewia (Grewia bicolar) Fig. 57 Sycamore Fig (Ficus sycomorus)
Fig. 22 Wild Sisal <Sansevieria ehrenbergii) Fig. 58 Cape Mahogany (Trichilia emetica)
Fig. 23 Tree Aloe (Aloe volkensil) (Photo: Malcolm Fig. 59 Broad-leaved Croton (Croton macrastachyus)
Richards, A-Z Botanical Collection Ltd.) Fig. 60 Rauvolfia (Rauvolfla caffra)
Fig. 24 Glory Lily (Glorioso superba) (Photo: Andrew Fig. 61 Wild Mango (Tabernaemontana ventricose)
Beckett) Fig. 62 Toothbrush Tree (Salvadore persica)
Fig. 25 Xerophyta (Xerophyte sp.) Fig. 63 Large-leaved Cordia (Cordia africana)
Fig. 26 Bead-bean (Maerua angolensis) Fig. 64 Blue-bark Cordia (Cordia goetzet)
Fig. 27 Grey-leaved Cordia (Cordia sinensis) Fig. 65 African Tulip Tree (Spathodea campanulata)
8 9
Fig. 66 Sausage Tree (Kigelia africana) Fig. 96 Red Hot Poker (Kniphofla thomson;,)
(Photo: Andrew Beckett) Fig. 97 African Blue-eyed Grass (Aristea alata)
Fig. 67 Wild Date Palm (Phoenix reclinaca) Fig. 98 Kenyan Sand-crocus (Romulea keniensis)
Fig. 68 Borassus Palm (Borassus aethiopum) Fig. 99 Evening Flower (Heperantha petitiana)
(Photo: David Pluth) Fig. 100 African Harebell (Dierama cupiflarum)
Fig. 69 Great Sedge (Cyperus immensus) Fig. 101 Red Mountain Gladiolus (Gladiolus watsonioides)
Fig. 70 Red Thorn (Acacia lahat) Fig. 102 Lobelia (Lobelia holstit)
Fig. 71 Sand Olive (Dodonaea angustifolia) Fig. 103 Swertia (Swertia crassiuscula)
Fig. 72 African Pencil Cedar (Juniperus pracera) Fig. 104 Mountain Pimpernel (Anaga/lis serpens)
Fig. 73 Aerangis (Aerangis thomsonil) (Photo: Philip Moore)
Fig. 74 Podo (Podocarpus latifolius) (Photo: David Pluth) Fig. 105 Rwenzori Stonecrop (Sedum ruwenzoriense)
Fig. 75 Nuxia (Nuxia congesta) (Photo: Philip Moore)
Fig. 76 Cape Chestnut ( Caladendrum capense) (Photo: Fig. 106 Hebenstretia (Hebenstretia angolensis)
Sylvia O'Toole, A-Z Botanical Collection Ltd.) Fig. 107 Haplocarpha (Haplocarpha rueppellil)
Fig. 77 Pillar-wood (Cassipourea malosana) Fig. 108 Euryops (furyops dacrydioides)
Fig. 78 Spiny Tree Fern (Cyathea manniana) Fig. 109 Mountain Thistle (Carduus keniensis)
Fig. 79 Wild Banana (Ensete ventricosum) (Photo: David Pluth)
Fig. 80 Strangler Fig (Ficus thonningil) Fig. 110 Giant Groundsel (Senecio johnstanit)
(Photo: David Pluth) (Photo: David Pluth)
Fig. 81 Pink Balsam (Impatiens pseudoviola) Fig. 111 Cabbage Groundsel (Senecio keniensis)
(Photo: Tore Hagen) Fig. 112 Rose Groundsel (Senecio roseiflarus)
Fig. 82 Kilimanjaro Balsam (Impatiens kilimanjan) Fig. 113 Blue Bog Lobelia (Lobelia deckenit)
(Photo: Tore Hagen) (Photo: Tore Hagen)
Fig. 83 Streptocarpus (Streptocarpus glandulosissimus) Fig. 114 Mount Kenya Giant Lobelia (Lobelia telekit)
(Photo: Tore Hagen) (Photo: David Pluth)
Fig. 84 Mexican Fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus) Fig. 115 Alpine Rock-cress (Arabis alpina)
Fig. 85 Fire-ball Lily (Scadoxus multiflorus) Fig. 116 Everlasting Flower (Helichrysum newit)
(Photo: Andrew Beckett) (Photo: David Pluth)
Fig. 86 Stairs' Disa (Disa stairsit)
Fig. 87 Mountain Bamboo (Arundinaria alpina) Front Cover (bottom): Acacia silhouetted against red sky
(Photo: David Pluth) (Photo: Karl Ammann).
Fig. 88 Hagenia (Hagenia abyssinica)
Fig. 89 Giant St. John's-wort (Hypericum revolutum) Back Cover: The Author, on Mount Meru
Fig. 90 Lion's-claw (Crotalaria agatiflora) (Photo: Simon Carter)
Fig. 91 Tree Heath (Erica arboreal
Fig. 92 Stoebe (Stoebe kilimandscharica)
Fig. 93 Protea (Protea caffral
Fig. 94 Blue Delphinium (Delphinium macrocentron)
Fig. 95 White Delphinium (Delphinium leroy/)
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FOREWORD PREFACE
A 'Safari' is a Swahili word meaning 'a journey', and This booklet has had a long gestation. Sometime
a journey through East Africa is a true assault on the in 1989, the idea for it emerged from animated
senses: a kaleidoscope of sights, sounds and smells. discussion one evening with Alfred Leo of Lions
Going on safari, the first thought is normally to see Safaris. Material for it has been gathered slowly,
those landmarks of the continent: the big cats, the reinforced by sporadic sorties into the bush, with
elephants, the huge grazing herds, but visitors quickly Barry Smithson, Simon Carter and David Gundry,
realise there are other, equally important facets; for then with Glyn and Debby Lewis of Sengo Safaris,
without the grasslands and flowers, trees and bushes, with Andrew and Shelly Beckett, once with Rangers
the wide scope and unimaginably beautiful vistas of Safaris and now of Journey into Africa, and most
Africa, it would be nothing, and indeed, the habitats recently also with Gary and Jo Strand of Wildlife
to support those awe-inspiring animals, simply would Explorer who deserve special thanks for outstanding
not exist. hospitality. For literature, I have relied most heavily
upon Agnew's Flora of Upland Kenya, Blundell's Wild
I can think of no better person than Dr. David Allen to Flowers of East Africa and on Beentje's Trees, Shrubs
write a guide on the wealth of wildflowers and trees and Lianas of Kenya. These and other important
one sees on a safari in East Africa. Having spent sources of information are listed in Literature Cited
many an hour exploring kopjes, walking across the and Further reading which amounts to a fairly
plains and investigating the forests of Tanzania in the extensive bibliography that may prove useful to the
company of David, I am constantly amazed by his academic reader. But I hasten to add that I alone
knowledge and infectious enthusiasm for his subject. remain responsible for such errors, inaccuracies and
other imperfections that remain.
This booklet will allow the visitor to the region to
have an informative, easy-to-read guide, bursting My purpose has been to produce a truly pocket-size
with information, and yet easily carried out into the booklet that describes and illustrates many of the
field on safari. This information includes not only more important, common or conspicuous species of
identification guides but also medicinal and local uses wild flower and tree likely to be met with on safari.
of a plant, all described in David's easily understood My focus is the northern parks and wildlife reserves
but authoritative manner. of Tanzania that I know best, from Mkomazi in the
East westwards to Ngorongoro, Loliondo and the
For anyone with an interest in Africa, for anyone on Serengeti. Mount Kilimanjaro, Arusha National Park
safari, and even for safari guides like myself, who and Mount Meru, Lake Manyara and Tarangeri are
encourage those on safari to look well beyond the also covered. But the booklet also has obvious
'Big Five', this booklet will be an invaluable addition relevance to the wildlife areas of Kenya that border
to their library and to their understanding of the northern Tanzania, including Tsavo West, the Taita
region. Hills, the Chyulu Hills, Amboseli and the Maasai Mara
(map, page 10-11 ). For this reason, we have chosen
to use 'East Africa' in the title of the book. With a few
Andrew Beckett, exceptions, these are the places that most visitors
Journey Into Africa go to when on safari. But we make no pretence that
the whole of East Africa is covered. Coverage of
plant species also cannot hope to be anything other
15
than partial: it is estimated that there may be over Sapiehe's Wayside Flowers of Kenya lies at the other
10,000 species of flowering plant in Tanzania alone. end of the scale: it is certainly pocket-size and nicely
What follows is a largely subjective selection of illustrates those few species covered, but it is very
only about 100 of the species representative limited both in its scope and scientific substance.
of ecological zones from that vast diversity. An In between these extremes lies Jex-Blake's Some Wild
ecological arrangement seemed a better basis for Flowers of Kenya published in 1948. Its substance is
the book's structure than one in which species are more sound but dated and now difficult to obtain.
grouped taxonomically by family, or by flower colour. There is a dearth of other books that would serve
But readers should bear in mind that some species as a traveller's guide to the area. This booklet is
can be found in a variety of habitats. so that the designed to fill that niche.
placement of a species under the heading of one
ecological zone rather than another may at times The majority of the illustrations are my own; those
seem somewhat arbitrary. that are not are all acknowledged in the List of
Illustrations. An exception is the map, presented on
Treatment of individual species follows a format p. 10-11, which has been drafted by Alan Jackson. I
that begins with a description of the plant followed also thank Andrew Beckett for writing the Foreword,
by an indication of its geographical and ecological and my wife Leonora who has not only shared in so
distribution. I have chosen also to include some many of our safaris but has typed most expertly from
mention of the cultural place of each species under my manuscript.
the heading of 'Interest'; for the uses of wild plants
are often part of ancient traditions and are part of Dr. David J. Allen
cultural heritage, whether as a source of fibre, food July, 2006
or herbal medicine, a dye, an oil or as a decorative.
I have given some vernacular names, in Swahili and
Maasai in addition to English, wherever possible.
Decisions on what common names to use have
sometimes been difficult, and I have often had no
alternative than to anglicize the scientific name when
no vernacular name exists. In general, I have tried to
avoid using technical terms except where it seemed
absolutely necessary; a Glossary is given to explain
those words that have slipped into the text.
Whereas the Tanzania National Parks ('TA NAPA')
guides, and now Veronica Roodt's booklets deal
with a wide range of wildlife, including flowers and
trees, pocket books on the vegetation alone are
scanty. The Flora of Tropical East Africa is the
ultimate source and also Blundell's excellent guide
is fairly comprehensive and well-illustrated, the
former is aimed at the specialist and the latter is
also comparatively bulky and its content could seem
bewildering in its coverage to the average tourist.
INTRODUCTION
Some Geology
Africa is unimaginably old. Some of the oldest rocks
on earth are found in the Serengeti, thought to be
2-3 billion years old. The East African plateaulands,
which are mostly over 1,300 m (4,260 feet) above sea
level, are composed fundamentally of what is known
as Archaean Basement rock. Some parts have been
affected by intrusions of granite, revealed as tumbled
masses of boulders (inselbergs or 'kopjes') that are a
striking feature of the landscape (Fig. 1).
Elsewhere on the plateau, the basement is covered
with sedimentary rocks, including schists and quartzites
of pre-Cambrian age. Intensive folding occurred here
in pre-Cambrian times, more than 570 million years
ago. Although there is evidence of faults also in post
Jurassic and Tertiary times, the Rift Valley landscape
of East Africa is comparatively recent, occurring in
the Pleistocene, well after the appearance of Man
in East Africa. About 5 million years ago, the rift
opened and lava gushed out and spread to form
the Ngorongoro Crater Highlands. During the volcanic
activity that followed, Ngorongoro reached an altitude
of 5,000 m (16,400 feet), blasting ash and rock debris
over a huge area. Now, Ngorongoro is a vast volcanic
crater (Fig. 2), about 20 km (12 miles) across with
a floor of over 100 square miles. This makes it the
world's sixth largest caldera, but it is the largest
unflooded, unbroken one. The crater now lies nestled
in a range of extinct volcanoes up to about 3,050 m
(10,000 feet).
Layer upon layer of volcanic ash settled over the
Serengeti Plains to the West of the highlands, forming
a flat skin of ash penetrated only by the granite
kopjes as reminders of the ancient basement buried
beneath. Over time, rainfall has leached the salts
Fig. 1 Kopjes are intrusions of granite that are strikmg features of the plains.
from the surface layers so as to form a hardpan
that is impenetrable to plant roots, so preventing the
growth of trees but enabling colonization by a sward
of shallow rooted grasses.