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Aloes and Lilies of Ethiopia and Eritrea

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26 ALOES AND LILIES OF ETHIOPIA<br />

Fig. 13. Dry Afromontane forest subtype transition at Yabello, Sidamo<br />

floristic region.<br />

6. Moist evergreen Afromontane forest (MAF)<br />

This vegetation type is in most cases characterized by one<br />

or more closed strata <strong>of</strong> evergreen trees that may reach a<br />

height <strong>of</strong> 30 to 40 m. Sometimes only the lower stratum<br />

remains, due to the removal <strong>of</strong> the tallest trees. The moist<br />

evergreen Afromontane forest, according to Friis (1992)<br />

occurs mainly in the south­western part <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Ethiopia</strong>n<br />

Highl<strong>and</strong>s between (1500­) 1800 <strong>and</strong> 2600 (­3000) m,<br />

with an annual rainfall between 700 <strong>and</strong> 2000 mm (or<br />

more). The Harenna Forest on the southern slopes <strong>of</strong><br />

the Bale Mountains is the easternmost example <strong>of</strong> this<br />

forest.<br />

These forests predominantly contain broad­leaved<br />

evergreen species in the multilayered canopy. Podocarpus<br />

falcatus may occur in the eastern­ <strong>and</strong> northernmost<br />

<strong>of</strong> these forests, but Podocarpus is never prominent.<br />

However, the other important conifer, Juniperus procera<br />

does not occur in this type <strong>of</strong> moist evergreen forest. The<br />

most characteristic type <strong>of</strong> this forest occurs widely in the<br />

upl<strong>and</strong> parts <strong>of</strong> the southern Wellega, llubabor (excluding<br />

the lowl<strong>and</strong>s), <strong>and</strong> Kefa floristic regions. It is found in<br />

areas between 1500 <strong>and</strong> 2500 m, with an annual rainfall<br />

between 1500 mm <strong>and</strong> more than 2000 mm, with rain all<br />

the year round. The absolute maximum <strong>of</strong> rainfall in the

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