Abstract
Kumbira forest is a discrete patch of moist forest of Guineo-Congolian biome in Western Angola central scarp and runs through Cuanza Norte and Cuanza Sul province. The project aimed to document the floristic diversity of the Angolan escarpment, a combination of general walk-over survey, plant specimen collection and sight observation was used to aid the characterization of the vegetation. Over 100 plant specimens in flower or fruit were collected within four identified vegetation types. The list of species includes two new records of Guineo-Congolian species in Angola, one new record for the country and one potential new species.
Highlights
Angola lies almost wholly within the southern zone of tropical grassland, bounded by tropical rain forest of the Congo in the north and by the Kalahari Desert in the south (Shaw 1947)
Barbosa (1970) recognized three types of moist high forest along this escarpment occurring in discrete geographic and climatic zones. These are: i. forests of subtype Cazengo to the north of the Cuanza River; ii. forests of subtype Amboim, between the Cuanza and Keve (Queve) Rivers, of which the most significant is the area of forest around Gabela; iii. forests of subtype Uku (Vila Nova do Seles) to the south of the Keve River; Kumbira forest (11°07.00'S; 014°17.00'E) is a discrete patch of moist forest vegetation in this third zone, SW of Conda (Figure 1), where cloud gathers under the knife-edge ridge of the Njelo mountain which reaches around 1500 m in elevation and prevents the cloud from moving further inland
An arborescent Dracaena and a species of Erythrina were noted.The understorey was rich in Rubiaceae, and the herbaceous flora included many ferns and occasional epiphytes, Justicia paxiana is recorded from Angola for the first time
Summary
Angola lies almost wholly within the southern zone of tropical grassland, bounded by tropical rain forest of the Congo in the north and by the Kalahari Desert in the south (Shaw 1947). In general the country comprises four main physiographic components: a coastal plain from the Atlantic seaboard of approximately 200 m above sea level, and from 12 to 200 km wide; a narrow steep escarpment, from 200 to 1000 m altitude; Copyright Francisco M.P. Gonçalves, David J.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
