PLANTS IN BRITISH EAST AFRICA 
87 
tall Lobelia Johnsonii, which is here seen at its lowest limit ; 
Celsius grows on the sides of the cuttings wherever it can get 
root-hold ; in the grass, but not easy to be seen from a passing 
train, are many small blue Lobelias. 
At Limoru, 7468 feet, there is a conspicuous Crotalaria 
which grows into a small tree ; it produces long racemes of 
large yellowish green flowers, it is named by the Kikuyu 
‘ Mwethia.’ Between Limoru and Kikuyu there is a drop of 
645 feet and the flora does not exhibit much change between 
these two stations. Nuxia congesta and Olea chrysophylla 
become abundant again, and also Olea hochstetteri and War- 
burgia ugandensis. Wherever the land, formerly cultivated, 
has been allowed to lie fallow it is covered with Abutilon 
bidentatum and Bidens pilosa : this latter is an exotic, its real 
home being in the West Indies, but is now a noxious weed 
and known as Spanish needles. From the West Indies we have 
received two unwelcome guests who flourish on the country’s 
hospitality — the Chigger and Spanish needle. Associated with 
the Abutilon is a purple Vernonia. 
Another noxious plant begins to make its appearance in 
ever-increasing quantities as the line descends, which is the 
Solanum campylacanthum ; this plant may be said to have a 
wider distribution than any other plant in the Protectorate ; 
it is easily recognised by its branching habit of growth, 
paucity of leaves, and its yellow fruit, somewhat resembling 
in size and shape a crab-apple. 
After leaving Kikuyu Station the line descends rapidly to 
Nairobi, 5575 feet ; between these two stations the country 
gradually becomes drier and there is a marked change in the 
flora. Soon after leaving Kikuyu the characteristic light- 
crowned trees of the Croton elliottanus (Mukinduri) are seen 
standing well above the other trees ; this tree extends as far 
as Nairobi, but is rarely found at a lower altitude. When 
close to Nairobi another tree which once seen can never be 
mistaken for any other is the Muhugu, a species of Brachyleima ; 
the tree has a very thin crown confined to the upper third of 
the stem and not spreading. The species is a new one and has 
not yet been named ; it is a dioecious tree. 
What at first sight, or in the distance, may be taken for 
