August 1998 
3 
Carnivore restaurant, adjacent to Nairobi National Park, 
revealed an interestingly rich plant diversity, including 
rare and endangered species (Muasya & Ojiambo, 
1995) Interesting plant species include the endemic 
and endangered Euphorbia brevitorta, and the rare 
Brachysielma lineare, Dnmia catcarata and Crassula 
sp. A (sensu Agnew & Agnew, 1994). However, this 
site, its habitats, and its rich plant diversity are on private 
land and the future is uncertain— at the mercy of the 
landowners. 
A number of questions arose which stimulated the 
present study. Were there similar rock slab habitats in 
the adjacent Nairobi National Park? Were such rock 
slabs dominated by similar plant communities? What 
was the distribution of the rare and endangered plant 
species in the Park? 
MATERIALS AND METHODS 
Field studies were conducted between March and July 
1995, in cooperation with the Kenya Wildlife Service. 
Transport inside the Park was provided by KWS. Five 
field visits were made, first driving to various rock slab 
habitats to locate sites with at least one of the target 
species. Sites with target species were noted and 
herbarium specimens prepared. Initial field naming was 
completed at die East African Herbarium of the National 
Museums of Kenya. Notes were made on the target 
species present, their density, phenology and population 
size The population size was estimated by sight. 
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 
Four sites were identified as containing populations of 
the target species (figure 1): 
• Euphorbia brevitorta and Drimia calcarata were 
found at site A, situated east of the Park 
headquarters, overlooking the Carnivore restaurant 
and the Army barracks. 
• Several populations of D calcarata were found at 
sites B1 and B2, near Impala ft>int 
• Crassula sp. A grew in the seasonal pools at site 
B. near Kampi ya Ndogo, and site C, beside the 
Kisembe Valley Circuit. 
• Brachysielma lineare, the fourth target species, was 
not found 
Euphorbia brevitorta 
This plant is described in Agnew & Agnew (1994) as 
“a densely tufted succulent with short, unbranched 
spiny-winged stems from a fleshy tuber” and listed as 
“rare in rocky dry bushland*. It had previously only 
been collected from the rock slabs on the privately 
owned plot near the Carnivore restaurant, Kajiado and 
Nyeri. According to Heriz-Smith (1962) it has 
reportedly been sighted in Nairobi National Park. The 
present status of E brevitorta in Kajiado and Nyeri is 
very uncertain. 
During the survey, about 250 clumps of E. brevitorta 
were found in Nairobi National Park. They were 
concentrated within about 40 square metres in an area 
of rocky dwarf bushland, cast of the Park headquarters 
and northeast of the water pump (site A). This area 
overlooks the Carnivore restaurant, and is part of the 
same hillside as the privately owned plot where the 
species had first been collected. 
E. brevitorta was not found on other rocky outcrops 
in the Park Its distribution is thus limited to one hillside, 
with one population in the Park, and one outside. We 
recommend that site A on the map be marked and strictly 
protected to preserve this endemic species. 
Figure 1. Map of Nairobi National Park showing sites where the target species were found. 
