290 THE FLORA OF BRITISH EAST AFRICA part hi 



Europe. Thus we find our common water-plantain {Alisma 

 Flantago, Linn.), a British reed - mace ( TypJia angustifolia, 

 Linn.), and rushes such as the Mediterranean species Jimcus 

 Fontancsil, Gay. The St. John's Wort is represented by a tree 

 {Hypericum Schimperi, Hochst.), the mallows by Hibiscus 

 gossypinus, Thunb., and the pond weeds by Aponogeton abyssini- 

 cujji, Hochst. 



The flora, therefore, presents resemblances to that of more 

 temperate regions, such as the Cape, the highlands of Abyssinia, 

 and the shores of the Mediterranean. 



5. The Mountain Forest Zone. — The woods on the border 

 of the prairies gradually thicken, and pass imperceptibly into the 

 " Mountain Forest Zone," which occupies the region of heavy 

 rainfall on the summit of the scarp of Mau and the lower slopes 

 of the main peaks. The forest consists of great Junipers and 

 Podocarpus, from 80 to 150 feet in height, which have been 

 determined by Schweinfurth and Rendle as Juniperus procera, 

 Hochst., and Podocarpus clongata, Thunb., P. aff. Mannii^ Hook. 

 The trees of this forest zone are draped with long pendent masses 

 of gray, beard -like lichens, which Mr. Gepp identifies as Usnea 

 ceratina, Ach. A dense canopy of vegetation formed of creepers 

 and lianas spreads from tree to tree, while the ground below is 

 carpeted with a rank growth of plants, among which species of 

 European genera are very abundant. Chief among these are 

 the blackberry (Rubus), the meadow-rue (T/mtittrum), and the 

 stinging-nettle (Urtica). 



6. T/ie Bamboo Zone. — The Mountain Forest Zone passes 

 upward into that of the Bamboo, which on Kenya occupies the 

 slopes from the height of 8000 to 9800 feet. It occurs also on 

 Settima, Mau, and Elgon. The bamboos are packed together 

 so closely that, except where the elephants have forced a way 

 through them, a path has to be cut step by step. The bamboos 

 rise to the height of from over 40 feet, and the stems are 

 often from 3 to 4 inches in diameter at the base. Above they 

 branch repeatedly, and the foliage interlocks into an imperfect 

 thatch, which is always sodden with moisture. In spite of the 

 abundance of the bamboos I was never able to find them in 

 flower, and the foliage is insufficient for the determination of 

 the genus ; but Mr. Rendle tells me that they do not belong to 

 Bambusa, the ordinary bamboo. 



