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Chyulu Hills
The Chyulu Hills is a mountain range in Makueni County in southeastern Kenya. It forms a 100-kilometre-long volcanic field in an elongated northeast–southwest direction. Its highest peak is 2,188 metres high. The Leviathan Cave (also known as Kisula caves) in Chyulu Hills National Park is about 11 km long, one of the longest caves in Africa. The national park is part of the Tsavo conservation area which covers Tsavo West National Park, Tsavo East National park and the Kibwezi Forest. The park's main gate is in Kibwezi in Makueni County. The Chyulu Hills stood in for the Ngong Hills in the film ''Out of Africa''. Geography The Chyulu Hills are located about 150 km east of the Kenya Rift. The hills consists of several hundred small flows and cones. Volcanism in the area started about 1.4 million years ago in the northern parts of the hills, and over time the volcanism propagated towards the southeast. These volcanoes are still considered active, si ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tsavo
Tsavo is a region of Kenya located at the crossing of the Uganda Railway over the Tsavo River, close to where it meets the Athi-Galana-Sabaki River. Two national parks, Tsavo East and Tsavo West are located in the area. The meaning of the word ''Tsavo'' is still unclear, but because of tribal conflicts, the Kamba people used to refer to the region as the place of "slaughter". Until the British put an end to the slave trade in the late 19th century, Tsavo was continually crossed by caravans of trans-Saharan slave traders and their captives. Regions of Kenya Nature Typical flora of the region includes: *Acacia *Myrrh *Baobab Typical fauna of the region includes: *African bush elephant *Giraffe * African buffalo *Gazelle *Klipspringer *Kudu *Leopard *Lion *Cheetah Native human inhabitants: *The Waata, a bow-hunting people See also * Railway stations in Kenya * Tsavorite Tsavorite or tsavolite is a variety of the garnet group species grossular, a calcium-aluminium garnet w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thicket
A thicket is a very dense stand of trees or tall shrubs, often dominated by only one or a few species, to the exclusion of all others. They may be formed by species that shed large numbers of highly viable seeds that are able to germinate in the shelter of the maternal plants. Thicket is used for tobacco pipes as it doesn't catch fire when burning tobacco. In some conditions, the formation or spread of thickets may be assisted by human disturbance of an area. Where a thicket is formed of briar (also spelled brier), which is a common name for any of a number of unrelated thorny plants, it may be called a briar patch. Plants termed briar include species in the genera ''Rosa'' (Rose), ''Rubus'', and ''Smilax ''Smilax'' is a genus of about 300–350 species, found in the tropics and subtropics worldwide. In China for example about 80 are found (39 of which are endemic), while there are 20 in North America north of Mexico. They are climbing flowering ...''. References H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eastern Black Rhinoceros
The eastern black rhinoceros (''Diceros bicornis michaeli''), also known as the East African black rhinoceros, is a subspecies of the black rhinoceros. Its numbers are very low due to poaching for its horn, and it is listed as critically endangered. Description The eastern black rhino is distinguishable from the southern subspecies as it has a longer, leaner, and more curved horn. Its skin is also very grooved. ''Diceros bicornis michaeli'' is also reportedly more aggressive than the other three subspecies of black rhino. They are browsers and are usually found in highland forest and savanna habitat. Population and threats Once located in Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and Kenya, as of 2017 they can only be found in Kenya (594 animals), Rwanda and in northern Tanzania (80 animals). A population of currently 60 animals is kept outside its natural range in South Africa (Addo Elephant National Park). The population has declined 90% in the last three generations. In 2010 their tot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Commiphora Baluensis
The genus of the myrrhs, ''Commiphora'', is the most species-rich genus of flowering plants in the frankincense and myrrh family, Burseraceae. The genus contains approximately 190 species of shrubs and trees, which are distributed throughout the (sub-) tropical regions of Africa, the western Indian Ocean islands, the Arabian Peninsula, India, and South America.Weeks, A. and Simpson, B.B. 2007. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of Commiphora (Burseraceae) yields insight on the evolution and historical biogeography of an “impossible” genus. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 42:62–79. The genus is drought-tolerant and common throughout the xerophytic scrub, seasonally dry tropical forests, and woodlands of these regions. The common name myrrh refers to several species of the genus, from which aromatic resins are derived for various fragrance and medicinal uses by humans. Description Leaves in ''Commiphora'' are pinnately compound (or very rarely unifoliolate). Many spec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Juniperus Procera
''Juniperus procera'' (known by the common English names African juniper, African pencil-cedar, East African juniper, East African-cedar, and Kenya-cedar) is a coniferous tree native to mountainous areas in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It is a characteristic tree of the Afromontane flora. Description ''Juniperus procera'' is a medium-sized tree reaching (rarely ) tall, with a trunk up to diameter and a broadly conical to rounded or irregular crown. The leaves are of two forms, juvenile needle-like leaves long on seedlings, and adult scale-leaves 0.5–3 mm long on older plants, arranged in decussate pairs or whorls of three. It is largely dioecious with separate male and female plants, but some individual plants produce both sexes. The cones are berry-like, 4–8 mm in diameter, blue-black with a whitish waxy bloom, and contain 2–5 seeds; they mature in 12–18 months. The male cones are 3–5 mm long, and shed their pollen in early spring.(Page archived ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Erythrina Abyssinica
''Erythrina abyssinica'' (lucky bean or flame tree) is a tree species of the genus '' Erythrina'' belonging to the plant family of the Fabaceae (or Leguminosae) described by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in 1825. This leguminous tree species is native to East Africa , Eastern DRC and southern Africa. In Zimbabwe its range overlaps with the similar '' Erythrina latissima''. History Close-up of inflorescence The description of ''E. abyssinica'' has been complicated, because the first specimen of ''Erythrina'' from Ethiopia (Abyssinia) brought to Europe was actually a mix of the two species. The flowers and leaves belonged to ''E. brucei'' Schweinfurth (1868) and the pod and seeds to ''E. abyssinica'' Lam. ex DC (1825). In addition, the first three descriptions were invalid, i.e. not published correctly to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (syn. ''E. kuara'' James Bruce (1790), ''E. abyssinica'' Lam.Lamarck, J.B. (1786) Encyclopédie Méthodiqu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ilex Mitis
''Ilex mitis'' (commonly called Cape holly, African holly, waterboom or umDuma) is a tall, dense, evergreen tree that is indigenous to Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. It makes an excellent fast-growing hedge for gardens - growing tall, straight and dense. Appearance If not pruned, ''Ilex mitis'' can grow to a height of 20 meters or more. Its trunk is straight, grey or brown and usually spotted while it produces a dense, even canopy. Young growth and leaf-stalks tend to be purple or red. The simply shaped, pointed, shiny-green leaves have wavy margins that are sometimes slightly serrated. The tree can be identified by its purple or maroon leaf stalks and the leaves’ strongly impressed midribs. The small, white, scented flowers appear in spring. Ilex mitis is dioecious, with separate male and female trees. The bright red fruits ripen in autumn, creating a colourful display and attracting a variety of birds. Range and habitat This is the only holly (''Ilex'') species nati ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Olea Capensis
''Olea capensis'', the black ironwood, is an African tree species in the olive family Oleaceae. It is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa: from the east in Somalia, Ethiopia and Sudan, south to the tip of South Africa, and west to Cameroon, Sierra Leone and the islands of the Gulf of Guinea, as well as Madagascar and the Comoros. It occurs in bush, littoral scrub and evergreen forest. Other common names in English include ironwood, ironwood olive, East African olive and Elgon olive. Description The black ironwood is a bushy shrub, or a small to medium-sized tree, up to in height, occasionally reaching . *Bark: light grey, becoming dark grey and vertically fissured with age; a characteristic blackish gum is exuded from bark wounds. *Leaves: light to dark green and glossy above and paler green below; petiole often purplish, 0.3–1.7 cm long; lanceolate-oblong to almost circular, 3–10 x 1.5–5 cm. *Flowers: white or cream and sweetly scented, small and in many flowe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cassipourea Malosana
''Cassipourea malosana'' is a species of plant native to tropical Africa. Description ''Cassipourea malosana'' is an evergreen shrub or tree, growing to 25 or 30 meters in height, and occasionally up to 45 meters, with a rounded crown. The tree has a straight unbuttressed trunk which can be up to 60 cm in diameter and unbranched up to 20 meters from the ground. The bark is smooth and pale.Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2022-03-15. The leaves are lanceolate, 3 to 10 mm long and 1 to 5 mm wide, with a glossy upper surface and a matte underside. Distribution and habitat ''Cassipourea malosana'' is native to the mountains of Eastern and Central Africa, from Eritrea through Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Eswatini, and South Africa. There is an outlier population in the Cameroon Highlands of Cameroon. ''Cassipourea malosana'' is found in dry Afromontane forests, often with Af ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Strombosia Scheffleri
''Strombosia'' is a plant genus of about 10 species in the family Olacaceae. It has also been classified in the family Strombosiaceae. The generic name is from the Greek ', meaning "pear-shaped", referring to the fruit. Description ''Strombosia'' species grow as shrubs or trees. The flowers are bisexual with 5 petals. The fruits are drupes (pitted) with a thin, fleshy pericarp. Distribution and habitat ''Strombosia'' species are distributed mostly in tropical Africa, with others in tropical Asia. Their habitat is typically lowland forests. Species , Plants of the World Online recognised 11 species: * '' Strombosia ceylanica'' * '' Strombosia fleuryana'' * '' Strombosia gossweileri'' * '' Strombosia grandifolia'' * ''Strombosia nana ''Strombosia nana'' is a tree in the family Olacaceae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), form ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prunus Africana
''Prunus africana'', the African cherry, has a wide distribution in Africa, occurring in montane regions of central and southern Africa and on the islands of Bioko, São-Tomé, Grande Comore, and Madagascar. It can be found at above sea level. It is a canopy tree 30–40 m in height, and is the tallest member of ''Prunus''. Large-diameter trees have impressive, spreading crowns. It requires a moist climate, annual rainfall, and is moderately frost-tolerant. Previewable Google Books. ''P. africana'' appears to be a light-demanding, secondary-forest species. The bark is black to brown, corrugated or fissured, and scaly, fissuring in a characteristic rectangular pattern. The leaves are alternate, simple, long, elliptical, bluntly or acutely pointed, glabrous, and dark green above, pale green below, with mildly serrated margins. A central vein is depressed on top, prominent on the bottom. The petiole is pink or red. The flowers are androgynous, 10-20 stamens, insect-pollinated, , ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
