THE PALAEOTROPICS 



173 



On the open veldt leguminous trees predominate. Acaci. 

 abundant in all the drier parts of Africa, are represented by many 

 species, usually small thorny trees with umbrella crowns. One 

 of the commonest is A. giraffae, "Kameel-dorn," in the vernacular, 

 the favorite food of the giraffe. A. horrida as its name implies, is 

 a particularly thorny species. Peltophorum Africanvm, Copaifera 

 sp., several species of Rhus, Combretum, Terminalia sericea, 

 Strychnos, Dombeya, Burkea, Albizzia, Bauhinia, are all char- 

 acteristic of the open veldt. 



Fig. 52. — Savanna vegetation, Victoria Falls, Rhodesia. 



As one travels northward from Bulawayo, the land descends to 

 the Zambesi, the Victoria Falls being less than 1,000 metres above 

 sea-level. The lower elevation, as well as lower latitude, makes the 

 flora of the region more tropical in aspect than that of the higher 

 plateau to the south. 



The vegetation is more luxuriant and the variety of trees and 

 shrubs greater. Near the Falls the baobab is seen, and the tn 

 in general are taller, and may form open forests of considerable 

 extent. In September, these trees were mostly leafless, and the 

 country covered with dry grass and leafless trees, presented any- 

 thing but a picture of tropical luxuriance. The exception to this 



