302 FORESTRY IN THE CROWN COLONIES. 



the Sabi valley the heat is more intense and temperatures between 

 100 and 110 are not rare. Frosts at night occur every year. 

 Droughts occur occasionally and are responsible for considerable 

 mortality amongst indigenous and exotic trees. 



2. Main Types of Forest Growth. 



Southern Rhodesia is well wooded, being covered more or less 

 with trees and shrubs over about 60 per cent, of the entire area. 

 The forest growth can conveniently be divided into two main 

 types :— 



(1) High or Close-Type Forest. 



(a) Evergreen forest consisting of tall trees up to 200 feet in 



height with Khaya mjasica dominant. 

 (6) Evergreen forest of the upper mountain slopes with trees 



up to 80 feet in height, with Cussonia umbellifera and 



Eugenia spp. dominant. 



(2) Savannah Forest. 



(a) Deciduous forest confined to the Kalahari sand belts in the 

 north-west portions of the territory, with Baikicea 

 plurijuga dominant. 

 (6) Deciduous forest confined usually to lower slopes and 

 valley bottoms in the hotter parts, irrespective of the 

 geological formation, with Copaifera mopani dominant, 

 (c) Deciduous forest spread over the greater part of the 

 plateau and hills, irrespective of the geological forma- 

 tion, with Brachystegia spp. dominant. 

 The number of species in the several types is considerable, and 

 certain species are found scattered in most of them, notably 

 Diospynis mespiliformis. There is also a stream-bank flora, 

 which has characteristics of its own, and in different parts of the 

 country has different constituent members. 



With the exception of a small area on the mountain ranges, 

 which has high or close-type forests in specially favoured spots, 

 the forests are of savannah type with a park-like appearance. 

 The trees, as a rule, are small with large spreading branches. 

 The recurring veld fires do a considerable amount of damage, so 

 that trees of large dimensions are mostly faulty and of little 

 economic value, except for fuel. 



