8 



other Acanthaceae. In damp places ferns are common, and the trees 

 are often festooned with moss and pendulous lichens. Climbers are 

 common, the large climber Toddalia aculeata being conspicuous, and 

 epiphytic figs are met with occasionally. In open places grass makes its 

 appearance in quantity, together with many Compositae and Labiatae, 

 bracken fern, Indigofera, Cluytia, Dodonaea mscosa, Hypericum Schim- 

 perianum, Crotolaria agatiflora, and other shrubs and herbaceous 

 plants. 



The cedar forests are often much intersected by grassy glades, par- 

 ticularly towards their lower limit ; this is well exemplified in the 

 submontane tracts of W. and S.W. Kenya, where the cedar is found in 

 stunted form mixed with dry evergreen bush in clumps and patches of 

 varying extent alternating with grasslands. Among the poorer and 

 drier types of cedar forest towards the lower limit of the species may 

 be mentioned that in which the cedar, which is usually stunted, badly 

 shaped, unsound, and often severely attacked by a loranthaceous parasite, 

 is associated with Olea chrysophylla (olive), ^.rdisia sp., and other dry 

 evergreen trees of small size; there is a soil-covering of dry grass and 

 shrubs, among which Tarconanthus camphoratus (m'lelishwa) is often 

 abundant, together with Lippia asperifolia, an aromatic verbenaceous 

 shrub resembling lantana, and various composite plants. Fire does 

 immense damage in these dry types of forest, but their maintenance and 

 protection is desirable, since they are important sources of supply of 

 fuel, fence-posts and other small material, as well as a certain amount of 

 sawn timber. 



No accurate estimate of the area of cedar forests or of the probable 

 future out-turn of cedar has yet been made, nor will this be possible 

 until systematic surveys for working-plans purposes have been carried 

 out. Mr. Battiscombe has estimated that there are 50,000 acres of cedar 

 forest within 20 miles of the Uganda Railway having an average stand of 

 500 cubic feet per acre, while with improved communications a much 

 larger area will become available for exploitation. On the slopes of 

 Mt. Kenya alone there are estimated to be some 75,000 acres of cedar 

 forest. 



The cedar is often badly attacked by a fungus (Fames juniperinus), 

 an account of which is given in paragraph 26. 



(7) Temperate rain forests. These forests occur on the eastern and 

 southern slopes of Mt. Kenya and the eastern slopes of the Aberdares, 

 in regions of heavy rainfall The minimum rainfall necessary to pro- 

 duce this type of forest has not been ascertained, but it is probably about 

 55 to 60 inches. There is evidence to show that these forests at one 

 time covered a much larger area than they do now, but the extensive 

 destruction of forest by the Kikuyu has greatly curtailed the area, and 

 the lower limit of this type may now be placed at about 7,000 feet, with 

 an upper limit of between 8,000 and 9,000 feet, above which the bamboo 

 zone is reached. The distinguishing characters of this type of forest are a 

 dense luxuriant evergreen vegetation, a high atmospheric humidity, and a 

 great variety of trees, some of which attain very large dimensions. The 

 most important tree, which is not always present, but generally forms a 

 distinct belt at about 7-8,000 feet, is Octea nsambarensis (muzaiti or 

 so-called " camphor "), an immense tree with a buttressed base and a 

 clean cylindrical bole, not uncommonly attaining a height of 120 feet 

 and a girth above the buttresses of over 30 feet. The timber is remark- 

 able for its durability, fallen trees being found in the forest which have 

 lain for decades without the slightest sign of decay or insect attack. 

 Among other trees characteristic of this type of forest may be mentioned 



