Useful Tree Species for Eastern Africa

a species selection tool based on the VECEA Map



Afromontane bamboo (B)

Description

Sinarundinaria alpina (synonyms: Arundinaria alpina, Yushania alpina) is one of the four bamboo species (giant grasses with erect woody stems of 2 - 20 m (or even taller) that sometimes form pure and virtually impenetrable communities, and that persist for several years, then flower gregariously and then die back) that are indigenous to Africa (one other species is Oxythenanthera abyssinica (mapped as Lowland bamboo ( L ) in the VECEA map). Sinarundinaria alpina occurs on most of high mountains of East Africa (Ethiopia to southern Tanzania), but south of Tanzania it is only known to occur on the North Viphya Plateau (Malawi), Dedza Mt. (Malawi) and Mt. Mulanje (Malawi); White 1983 pp. 55 and 166). The species presently does not occur on the North Viphya Plateau (C. Dudley, personal observations).

In East Africa, Sinarundinaria alpina is mostly found between 2400 and 3000 m, although it ascends on Mt. Kenya to 3500 m and descends in the Uluguru Mts. (Tanzania) to 1630 m. It grows most vigorously on deep volcanic soils and gentle slopes where the annual rainfall exceeds 1250 mm. The largest areas are found on the Aberdare Range (Kenya, 65000 ha), the Mau Range (Kenya, 51000 ha) and Mt Kenya (39000 ha; White 1983 p. 166).


V. Minani ; Figure 4.2 in VECEA Volume 5

Plant 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. Between brackets the English vernacular name of the species and the documented country distribution of the species (B=Burundi, E=Ethiopia, K=Kenya, M=Malawi, R=Rwanda, T=Tanzania, U=Uganda, Z=Zambia) is provided.

Based on information on species presence in national manifestations of vegetation types, each species was classified as a regionally dominant, characteristic, present or marginal species for a vegetation type (Read more ...)

Products and environmental services of tree species

Documented products and environmental services for the tree species occurring in this vegetation type (B) are listed below. Clicking the name of any of these species will open the page for that species on the Agroforestry Species Switchboard. Between brackets information is given on the status of each species ('dom' indicates dominant species, 'cha' characteristic species, 'pre' other species and 'mar' species of marginal occurrence), the English vernacular name of the species and the documented country distribution of the species (B=Burundi, E=Ethiopia, K=Kenya, M=Malawi, R=Rwanda, T=Tanzania, U=Uganda, Z=Zambia).

Wood

Human consumption

Animal consumption

Environmental services

Other products

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 vegetation type and the percentage of this area explicitly designated for biodiversity, species or landscape protection (A) and areas designated for both protection and sustainable use objectives (B). Only the nationally designated protected areas were included.

PNV Area (km2) A (%) B (%)
B 4,084 13.50 66.10
Fd/B 295 82.00 11.20

A) Include the IUCN categories I - IV; B) Include the IUCN categories V - VI and the protected areas without IUCN classification. Read more

Links

Species selection tool
Other vegetation types
//vegetationmap4africa.org
Documentation

Citation and terms of use

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