Expedition no. 32: First Chimanimani Survey: 11 Apr 2014-28 Apr 2014

Petra and Bart had the wonderful opportunity to take part in this survey of the Chimanimani Mts in Mozambique. One of the main objects was to make an inventory of the rare and endemic plants, their status and the possible threats that could affect them. Since most knowledge about these plants comes from research done on the Zimbabwean side of the mountains, we were particularly interested in finding and recording these plants in the Mozambican part of the mountains, where they are also bound to occur but in many cases have never been recorded. The trip was a great success. Not only did we find more than 60% of the plants we had listed before hand, we also found several species that could be added to that list. Most of the ones did we did not find were species not present at this time of the year so we will still have a chance to add these at a later date.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Crossing the Mussapa River

Photo: Bart Wursten
On the way to Mt Dombe

Photo: Bart Wursten
Petra Collecting

Photo: Bart Wursten
Arrival in second camp

Photo: Bart Wursten
Jonathan and Jeneen.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Morning in camp

Photo: Bart Wursten
In Before the Rain

Photo: Bart Wursten
Drying Papers

Generate a list of species for Expedition no. 32

Description

The expedition was organised by KEW Botanic Gardens in collaboration with the local Mozambican NGO MICAIA.

Participants were:
Petra Ballings, National Herbarium, Meise, Belgium
Armindo Carlos Dapaz, cook, Chimoio
Jeneen Hadj-Hammou, intern, Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, London
Anthony Mapaura, National Herbarium & Botanic Gardens, Harare, Zimbabwe
Hermenegildo Matimele, National Herbarium, IIAM, Maputo
Daglasse Muassinar, Micaia Foundation, Chimoio, Mozambique
Atinahama Chari Nyahedze, Chief, Nhabawa Community, Sussundenga
Robert Sevenwatch, guide, Nhabawa Community, Sussundenga
Jonathan Timberlake (team leader), Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, London
Bart Wursten, independent botanist mozambiqueflora.com, Meise, Belgium.