Kenya: Mount Kenya – Afro-alpine Flora of Mount Kenya

The Afro-Alpine flora is like nothing else on earth – it’s most surreal around Mt Kenya, Mt Kilimanjaro, and the Rwenzori Montains. On elevations above 3500m/11000 feet, the scenery is populated by bizarre and otherworldly rosette-type plans – Groundsels and Lobelias. There are two types of groundsels on Mt Kenya: 1) Dendrosenecio kenienron or Giant Groundel – a huge tree-like plant from sunflower family, it’s endemic, and creates massive forests, occurring only between 3900 and 4500m. It takes over 50 years for the plant to become a tree and bloom. 2) The other groundsel is Dendrosenecio keniensis, or Cabbage-leaf Groundsel, occurs at lower elevations and forms vast plantations of green-and-blue-leafed cabbage-like rosettes. Sometimes both groundsel are referred to as lobelias by mistake (even by guides). Of the true lobelias (that belong to the bellflower family) there are two: 3) Lobelia telekii, or Senecio – a plant with massive spire-like flower stalks. The plant’s entire life revolves around producing a single 3m/10ft high flower stock and then dying thereafter. Flower stock and leaves are thickly covered with hair for insulation, they look like bearded old sentinels. 4) The other lobelia, Lobelia keniensis, or Water-filled Lobelia – is equally spectacular, it forms similarly high flower stocks that have thick shiny green leaves. It’s rosettes actually collect water that freezes overnight and cools the plant during the hot direct sunshine during the day. Endemic birds (sunbirds and starlings) pollinate the lobelia species.