1921| NOTES. 



57 



Benth., Rapanea rhododendroides Mez, Allophyllus abyssinicus Radlk., 

 Heptapleurum sp. and Ficus Hochstetteri Rich. — the last two usually co- 

 mence life as epiphytes and ultimately completely enclose and strangle 



their hosts. 



In the dry and semi-dry forests Olea chrysophylla Lam. and 0. Hoch- 

 stetteri Bak. are prominent trees of good size which yield valuable hard- 

 wood. In the dry regions, flat-topped Acacias in several species are a 

 feature of the landscape and often form pure and extensive stands 

 especially in savannah regions. In and round Mombasa grow many gigan- 

 tic Baobabs (Adansonia) and the Down Palm (Hyphaene) with its much- 

 branched trunk is also common. In the neighborhood of Nairobi a Cro- 

 ton and a Tree Composite are characteristic trees. The Croton (C. 

 Elliotianus Baill.) has horizontal branches and a flattened crown suggestive 

 of Japanese trained trees. The Composite (Brachylaena Hutchinsii 

 Hutchins.) is a tree with dioiceous flowers, often over 100 ft. tall by 15 to 

 20 ft. in girth of trunk, and so far as I know is by far the largest compos- 

 ite in the world. It has a fluted trunk, gray bark and a crown of 

 nondescript shape. The wood is brownish, fragrant and burns with 

 clear flame leaving very little ash. The wood is clastic and easily 

 polished and would serve for the floors of ball-rooms. 



The moorland vegetation has characteristics all its own and is quite 

 unlike that of other countries I have visited. Tree Lobelias and Senecios 

 are prominent features and so, too, are numerous small-leaved woody 

 Composites, gray, willow-like Rosaceous shrubs, and a giant Heath with 

 a dense, dark green billowy crown and a remarkable Rosaceous tree 

 {Braycra anthchnintica Kunth), with large pinnate, deciduous leaves, 

 huge termina panicles of greenish flowers, a short trunk and a wide-spread- 

 ing flattened crown. This is the most alpine of Central African trees 

 and is singularly like a Sumach in appearance. Herbs of course are 

 plentiful and conspicuous and I noted many kinds of everlasting Com- 

 posites, a Swe£tia, a scarlet flowered Gladiolus and a Tritoma. 



To me, however, the Juniper and the two Podocarps were the most 

 interesting trees and are the most valuable timber trees in East Africa. 

 The Juniper (Juniperus procera Hochst.) is the giant of the genus being 

 sometimes 130 ft. tall and 30 ft. in girth of trunk. It grows in both dry 

 and semi-dry regions and has an altitudinal range from 6500 ft. to 10,000 

 ft. where it is exceedingly abundant. Occasionally it forms pure forest 

 but more usually it is mixed with the two Olives, with Podocurpus gracilior 

 Pilger, Nuxia congesta R. Brown and other trees. Most of the Juniper 

 is over-mature, the timber exceedingly faulty from ingrowing bark and 

 fungus, and many of the trees are badly infested by Loranthus. The 

 wood which varies from pale to rich cedar-brown, is very fragrant; it is not 

 attacked by white ants, lasts well in the ground, and is excellent for panel- 

 ling, shingles, window-sashes, etc., but unfortunately it is difficult to nail . 



