Invited by the Kenya National Museum, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KIB/CAS), Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (WBG/CAS) and the National Museum of Kenya conducted a scientific experdition in the Kakamega and Cherangani areas of west Kenya during January 3-25, 2017. 

There are 800 plant samples and 3,200 specimens were collected, including some important economic living plants and seeds.  

Kakamega forest, the only tropical rainforest in Kenya, has extremely rich plant species. The arborous layer mainly composed by Funtumia Africana, Rinorea brachypetala, Zanthoxylum mildbraedii, Ficus verrulosa, Polyscias fulva, Manilkara butugi etc. The major composition of the arbor forests and shrubs layer and herb layer are the species with tropical distribution center, such as Barleria spp., Mimulopsis spp., Piper umbellatum, Piper capense, Impatiens spp., Solanum dasyphyllum, Leea guinensis, Atromomum spp., Plectranthus sp., Urera spp. and other species. On the contrary, the weather of Cherangani Hills becomes drier than Kakamega forest. There are many succulent plants such as the herbaceous Kalanchoe spp. (Crassulaceae) and high arbor Euphorbia spp (Euphorbiaceae) in Cherangani Hills.  

Africa is one of important parts along the route of "The Belt and Road", this Sino-Kenya expedition will provide a solid foundation for the purpose of conservation and sustainable use of plant diversity in Kenya and East Africa, and also offer a large number of high quality photographs for the preparation of “Flora of Kenya”. 

Scientific Expedition in Kenya (Image by KIB)