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Quarter degree square: 1133D4 Country: Malawi Habitat: Montane evergreen forest (much of it secondary), montane grassland and rocky outcrops Altitude range: 1600 - 1700 m Annual rainfall: Location (short): Remnant forest surrounded by plantations on the South Viphya Plateau near Chikangawa Location (detailed): |
Copied from Dowsett-Lemaire in Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2): 36-37 (1989):
Chamambo is the largest single block of forest (263 ha) on the S. Viphya Plateau, but much of it is secondary. It is traversed by two very deep stream gullies (draining many tributaries) from west to east, and the forest stops abruptly on the narrow grassy rim of the eastern scarp. All ridges and the more gentle of the upper (western) part of the forest are covered with a seconday association of Aphloia-Bridelia brideliifolia-Macaranga kilimandscharica forming a canopy at 18-20 m. The vegetation along several tributary streams appears rather disturbed, with Neoboutonia a common large tree, and groves of Cyathea manniana in swampy situations.
Tall forest (25-30 m) is to be found only in and near the main gullies in the lower, eastern part. Cryptocarya is a prominent emergent, Ekebergia capensis less so. There are some very big Ilex mitis (30 m) and Albizia schimperiana (35 m) along the streams, also the odd Ficalhoa and Entandrophragma, but the latter is not an emergent. Even here, Bersama abyssinica subsp. abyssinica is the commonest medium-sized tree locally, a sign of incomplete forest regeneration (cf. Dowsett-Lemaire 1985: 327, 349). Grewia mildbraedii, at the southern limit of its distribution, is much more localized than further north. Clausena anisata, Peddiea africana and several Rubiaceae (including Psychotria heterosticta var. plurinervata) are widespread understorey species. Fertile material is needed for a hairy-leaved Rytigynia sp. (n° 742). Epiphytic orchids are very inconspicuous.
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