4 
Bulletin of the EANHS 28(2) 
Drimia calcarata 
This is a delicate little lily, with a single stalk arising 
from a bulb wedged between rocks, its raceme of white 
flowers opening in the afternoon. Agnew & Agnew 
(1994) list it as “local and rarely collected in rocky 
shallow-soil grassland, known only around Nairobi". 
A number of sites where D. calcarata once grew on 
Nairobi Hill have since been converted to high-rise 
buildings and housing estates. 
Several populations of D calcarata were seen at 
sites B1 and R2, on a rocky area beside the escarpment 
track, not far from Impala Point. It was also found at 
site A. There were up to 350 tiny plants counted at 
each site. Outside of Nairobi National Park, the plant 
was noted along Forest Edge Road near the Bomas of 
Kenya, at lUCN’s Wasaa Conservation Centre, and 
along Bogani Road between the East African Catholic 
University and the Magadi Road. 
Although several sites were found, the distribution 
of D calcarata is very local. Rocky outcrops where 
this plant is found should be marked and protected. 
Crassula sp. A 
This is a small plant of seasonal wetlands, described by 
Agnew & Agnew (1994) as “a trailing, possibly annual 
herb with ascending or erect stems; leaflinear; flowers 
solitary, pink to white. Locally common in ephemeral 
pools" in Nairobi and Machakos districts. It is probably 
also found in rock pools in Kajiado District. 
This tiny Crassula was recorded at two sites: B near 
Kampi ya Ndogo and C beside Kisembe Valley Circuit, 
growing in ephemera! pools. The population of the 
species at each site was large, especially at Kampi ya 
Ndogo, but the distribution is very local. We recommend 
that seasonal pools containing this species be marked 
and given protection. 
Brachystelma lineare 
This species is listed by Agnew & Agnew (1994) as 
“rare in shallow-soi! grassland around Nairobi”. It 
flowers sporadically in the rainy season. The leaves are 
grass-like and the flowers smell of cow dung. It was not 
found during the survey, and its status therefore remains 
uncertain. 
Professor L.E. Newton of Kenyatta University notes 
that the plants from the “proposed Biodiversity Park" 
site may be an undescribed species of Brachystelma 
(personal communication). 
CONCLUSION 
Within Nairobi National Park, three of the four target 
plant species were found growing in certain rock slabs 
and seasonal wetland habitats. The distribution of these 
plants is very local and their habitats are small in area 
and often next to roads and tracks. The plants themselves 
are small and may be overlooked in the dry season. 
These habitats can therefore easily be destroyed by road 
construction and/or other development activities, even 
within the Park. We therefore recommend that the sites 
containing the rare plants be marked on Park maps and 
given strict protection to save the few remnants of these 
unique habitats and species. 
Outside the Park, the rare plants and their habitats 
are not secure, because they are on private land that 
may be developed at any time. The proposed Biodiversity 
Park on the plot between Nairobi National Park, the 
Carnivore restaurant, and the Army barracks, has a 
unique hydrology and diverse microhabitats rich in plant 
diversity. It should also be conserved to protect its 
biodiversity for present and future generations. 
Acknowledgements 
We are grateful to KWS for allowing us entry into the 
Park and providing transport within the Park. A report 
has been given to KWS. 
Abraham M. Muasya, Fleur Ng’weno and Laban 
O. Ojiambo 
c/o Nature Kenya, P.O. Box 44486, Nairobi 
References 
Agnew, A.D.Q. and S. Agnew (1994). Upland Kenya 
Wild Flowers (2nd ed). East Africa Natural History 
Society, Nairobi. 
Heriz-Smith, S (1962). The Wildjlowers of Nairobi Royal 
National Park, Nairobi. D.A. Hawkins, Ltd, 
Nairobi. 
Morgan, W.T.W. (1967). Nairobi, City and Region. 
Oxford University Press. Nairobi. 
Muasya, A M. and L.O. Ojiambo (1995) The ecology 
and plant diversity of seasonal wetlands near 
Carnivore Restaurant in Langata, Nairobi. EANHS 
Bulletin 25{\)\ 11-14. 
Further reading 
Carter, S. (1988). Tribe Euphorbeae. In R.M. Polhill 
(Ed), Flora of Tropical East Africa: Euphorbiaceae 
(Part 2). A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam. 
Dugan, P.J. (Ed) (1990) Wetland Conservation: A review 
of current issues and required action. IUCN, Gland, 
Switzerland. 
Kishor. L M. (1970). Shallow Soils and their Vegetation 
in the Region of Nairobi. Journal of the East Africa 
Natural History Society and National Museum 
XXVIII (1): 119, Nairobi. 
MacNaughton, S,J. and L.L. Wolf (1973). General 
Ecology. Holt, Reinhart and Winston, Inc., New 
York. 
Ng’weno, F. (1992) Seasonal Wetlands.in Nairobi. In: 
S.A. Crafier, S.G. Njuguna and G.W. Howard 
(Eds). Wetlands of Kenya. Proceedings of the KWWG 
seminar on Wetlands of Kenya , N a i robi, 1991. 
IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. 
Ng’weno, F. and B. Ng’weno (1992) Life in the Fast 
Lane: Seasonal Pools in Nairobi. Swara, 15(6). East 
African Wildlife Society, Nairobi, 
WCMC (1993). Conservation status List of Plants. 
IUCN, UNEP, WWF, Cambridge, UK. 
