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Annotated Checklist of Mt. Mulanje (Malawi) SpermatophytesMt. Mulanje is an isolated, granite massif in the S.E. corner of Malawi, 2.5 km from the Mozambique border. The mountain covers an area of about 640 km² and is constricted in the middle to form eastern and western lobes (map). The Fort Lister Gap separates the Mchese peak from the main mass of Mt. Mulanje but all three are included in the concept of the Mulanje massif. At 3002 m, it is the highest point in south tropical Africa and forms part of the disjunct chain of mountains that runs down the eastern side of Africa from Ethiopia to the eastern cape region of South Africa. Mt. Mulanje has been identified as a botanically-rich site in need of protection and as a centre for plant diversity. The flora of the massif is of botanical and biogeographical importance due the number of endemics it supports, its affinities to the South African flora and afromontane species at the edge of their ranges. For example, Turraea holstii Gürke and Lepidotrichilia volkensii (Gürke) Leroy reach their southern limits on Mt. Mulanje, whereas others, such as Vaccinium exul Bolus and Pterocelastrus echinatus N.E. Br., have their northern limits. It has also been acknowledged that the Mt. Mulanje vegetation, and the forest cover in particular, has an essential role in the maintenance of regular water supplies to southern Malawi and Mozambique. In addition, rural communities in the area rely on the natural resources of the mountain, for their livelihoods, e.g., as a source of fuel wood and non-timber forest products. Since the 1890s, the vegetation of Mt. Mulanje has been of interest to botanists and foresters, with many collections now residing in herbaria. The Daubeny Herbarium holds a large portion of the collections made by James D. and Elizabeth G. Chapman from all parts of the Mulanje massif, especially those collected over a 3½ year period in the 1980s. The identification lists compiled from these collections formed the basis of the checklist, to which collections by others up (until 2002) were added to fill obvious gaps or to provide additional locality data. For conservation and floristic assessment purposes, more information is needed about the flora of African mountains. The aim of this checklist is to pull together information already documented about the gymnosperms and angiosperms that grow on Mt. Mulanje, in the form of an annotated inventory of species, i.e. information is provided for each species under the headings: Description, Flowering/Fruiting, Habitat, Altitude, Occurrence, Localities, Distribution, Comments. At least one specimen is cited for each locality. It is hoped that information presented in this way will highlight the species and areas on the mountain that would profit from further investigation and therefore provide part of the baseline of information for management decisions in respect of the sustainable use and conservation of the massif’s vegetation. Statistical summary from the checklist is:- Families = 138 Genera = 623 Species, Subspecies and Varieties = 1319 Number of Endemics = 71 (status of c. 5 should be reviewed), i.e., 5.3% of the spermatophyte flora. The ten largest families (number of taxa) are: Fabaceae (124); Orchidaceae (122); Asteraceae (99); Poaceae (90); Rubiaceae (82); Euphorbiaceae (46); Cyperaceae (37); Lamiaceae (35); Acanthaceae (31); and Scrophulariaceae (20). Families well-represented by endemic taxa (taxa) are:
Only one species, Widdringtonia whytei Rendle, has been listed as endangered and the wild populations of the cycad, Encephalartos gratus Prain, are reported to be greatly threatened and reduced. There is insufficient data on other species for a similar assessment of their vulnerability but, in the light of habitat destruction in recent years, as well as pressure on the natural resources of the massif, other species may be threatened. Strugnell, A.M. (2002) Endemics of Mt. Mulanje: The endemic spermatophytes of Mt. Mulanje, Malawi. Syst. Geogr. Pl. 72: 11-16. |
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