Cheilolejeunea ulugurica (Lejeuneaceae, Marchantiophyta), A new species from Tanzania

Cheilolejeunea ulugurica Malombe, Eb.Fischer. & Pócs is a new species affiliated to subg. Cheilolejeunea. One of its closest relatives seems to be Cheilolejeunea chenii from Asia. It is described from the Uluguru Mountains, members of the crystalline Eastern Arc of Tanzania, notorious for its richness in endemic species

Additions to the moss flora of the Taita Hills and Mount Kasigau, Kenya

Based on our recent collections we report 43 moss species as new to the Taita Hills and Mount Kasigau in SE Kenya, 15 of the species being also new to the country. The number of moss species known from the region rises from the previously reported 85 to 128, and from 506 to 521 for the whole country. The most noteworthy findings are Fissidens splendens Brugg.-Nann., previously known only from Tanzania, and Barbella capillicaulis (Renauld & Cardot) Cardot var. capillicaulis (Renauld & Cardot) Cardot, previously reported from Mauritius, Madagascar and Uganda. The taxa reported represent the families Anomodontaceae (1 sp.), Brachytheciaceae (3 spp.), Calymperaceae (3 spp.), Dicranaceae (8 spp.), Erpodiaceae (1 sp.), Fissidentaceae (3 spp.), Hedwigiaceae (1 sp.), Hookeriaceae (1 sp.), Hypnaceae (3 spp.), Leucodontaceae (1 sp.), Meteoriaceae (3 spp.), Neckeraceae (5 spp.), Orthotrichaceae (1 sp.), Pilotrichaceae (1 sp.), Polytrichaceae (1 sp.), Pterigynandraceae (1 sp.), Pterobryaceae (2 spp.), Pylaisiadelphaceae (1 sp.), Sematophyllaceae (1 sp.), Stereophyllaceae (1 sp.), and Thuidiaceae (1 sp.).Peer reviewe

Indigenous Knowledge, Uses and Conservation of Prunus africana (Hook. F.) Kalkman in Nandi Forests

Prunus africana is a multipurpose medicinal tree of worldwide fame in treatment of benign prostate cancer. However, the wild collection is no-longer sustainable due to overharvesting. In order to conserve the species, there is need to determine the status of the local community knowledge on uses and conservation measures to develop protocols for sustainable utilization and avert extinction of the species. Stratified random sampling was used to interview and administer questionnaires to 188 households and herbalists within a buffer zone of 1 km in South Nandi Forest. The study found that 99% of the locals were aware of the P. africana tree. Majority (82%) agreed that P. africana population was decreasing both in the forests and farmlands. Almost all parts of the P. africana were utilized for different purposes. Majority of the locals (66%) acquire P. africana products from the forest. Closer proximity to the forest and uncontrolled harvesting provides easier accessibility to P. africana for households use. The study concluded that P. africana is an important multipurpose medicinal tree to the local community and recommends enhanced planting and protection within and outside the forests to ensure posterity. Keywords: Multipurpose, medicinal, sustainable, local community, use

New records to the bryoflora of the E slope of Mt. Kenya

The first author studied the bryophyte communities on the East slope of Mt. Kenya through the forest belt between 1600 and 3000 m elevations. Seven sampling plots were selected at each 200 m altitudinal interval. At each sampling plot microclimate data measurements were carried out for six months between July and December 2020 using dataloggers and the composition of epiphyllous communities was studied in details with special reference to the host plants. Tamás Pócs and his team (Bence Együd, Judit Havasi and Mária Szegedi) joined to this research during the August of 2021, to help in further collection and identification work. The collected specimens are deposited in the herbaria of EA and EGR. Majority of the collections have already been identified. The discovery of the only mainland African occurrences of the Lemurian Microlejeunea inflata and Leptodon fuciformis are outstanding results. Other species are new for Kenya: Cololejeunea platyneura, Cyclodyction subbrevifolium, Diplasiolejeunea deslooveri, Fissidens intramarginatus and Telaranea coactilis. The last author visited the same sites 2004 with his late wife, Sarolta Czímer, guided by Min S.Chuah-Petiot from Nairobi University and from their collection Gemmabryum subapiculatum, Orthotrichum denticulatum, Lophocolea fragrans and Lophocolea muricata proved to be new to Kenya

An annotated checklist of the bryophytes of Taita Hills region, Kenya

Based on previous literature and our own collections, we list 288 bryophyte species (145 liverworts, 143 mosses) from the Taita Hills region (including Mt. Kasigau and Maktau Hill) in SE Kenya. New records for Kenya include the liverworts Archilejeunea elobulata Steph., Bazzania nitida (F. Weber) Grolle, Cololejeunea grossepapillosa (Horik.) N. Kitag., Diplasiolejeunea kraussiana (Lindenb.) Steph., D. villaumei Steph., Lejeunea amaniensis E.W. Jones, L. cyathearum E.W. Jones, Lopholejeunea laciniata E.W. Jones, Metzgeria crassipilis (Lindb.) A. Evans, M. nudifrons Steph., Plagiochila boryana (F. Weber) Nees, and P. moenkemeyeri Steph., and the mosses Leucophanes hildebrandtii Müll. Hal. and Neckeromnion lepineanum (Mont.) S. Olsson, Enroth, Huttunen & D. Quandt. A further 22 liverworts and 13 mosses previously known from other parts of Kenya are reported for the first time from the Taita Hills region.Peer reviewe

Composition of weed communities in seasonally flooded rice environments in East Africa is determined by altitude

Weeds are major biotic constraints to rice production worldwide. Compared to other sub-regions, weed communities of rice are not well described for East Africa and there is limited information on environmental factors affecting the distribution of species. This study aimed to address these knowledge gaps. Seasonally flooded rice production fields of 31 sites in Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, across three altitude classes (Low: 1,000 m), were surveyed for weed species using quadrats. Data analyses involved multivariate approaches, non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis tests and logistic regressions, followed by calculation of ranked species abundance and Shannon Weiner Index diversity analyses. A total of 286 weed species, belonging to 59 families, were recorded with 42 species not previously reported as lowland rice weed in the sub-region. Twenty-four species were identified as abundant across altitudes. Weed species diversity was higher at medium altitudes compared to high and low altitudes. Significant patterns of floristic distinction between altitudinal classes were observed, with 80% of dissimilarity. The high altitude was dominated by Echinochloa colona, Leptochloa squarrosa and Sphaeranthus suaveolens, the medium altitude was dominated by Crassula granvikii, Pycreus lanceolatus and Ageratum conyzoides while the low altitude was dominated by E. colona, Cyperus difformis and Cyperus esculentus. The weed species composition of seasonally flooded rice fields in East Africa is diverse. Identification of a limited group of (24) commonly abundant weed species as well as the articulation of altitude-specific weed species groups will facilitate the development of better tailored weed control programmes

Electronic support tools for identification and management of rice weeds in Africa for better-informed agricultural change agents

International audienceWe developed an interactive electronic weed identification tool, AFROweeds, and an online network, Weedsbook, for agricultural change agents to aid communication and offer assistance to rice farmers with specific weed problems. We collected quantitative and qualitative data to assess effectiveness and usefulness of these products with potential users. With the online version of AFROweeds, used on an electronic tablet, average weed identification time in the field was 7 min 6 s with 44% successful identifications. Poor mobile network coverage and slow internet were the main reasons for the relative long identification time and low success rate. A second trial was done with the offline version, pre-installed on a tablet. The average identification time was 6 min 34 s, with a success rate of 75%. The online network Weedsbook, established alongside AFROweeds, was assessed by the test users as a useful additional aid, enabling agricultural change agents and agronomists to exchange information or request assistance on all aspects of weeds and weed management. The potential improvements of both products are discussed