Issue 1 January—June 2011
EA Newsletter is a biannual e-production of the Botany
Department, National Museums of Kenya
Part of the Botany Department Team, 2011
Contents
Editorial Note ……………………………………………. 1
Topical issue……………………………………………… 2
Reports from the field ………………………………….. 3
Staff Publications ……………………………………….. 4
Partnerships and Collaborations …………………….... 4
Regional news……………………………………………. 4
Meetings and events …………………………………….. 5
Capacity Building ……………………………………….. 5
Staff news ………………………………………………… 5
Message from the HoD and Botanist-in-charge…..….. 6
Dear Readers,
Editorial Note
Welcome to the maiden issue of the EA newsletter.
After many years of toying with the idea, we are happy to launch this biannual communication channel that will enable us to share our vision, ambitions, achievements, fears and knowledge with the wider national and international audience. In the recent past the National Museums of Kenya has undergone some changes, notable is the departmental
reorganization that saw the rebranding of the historical ‘East African Herbarium’ to the broader and functionally expanded Botany department. The department has grown in leaps and bounds and currently has presence in disciplines
that were previously little emphasised such as biodiversity informatics and the ecological and soil analysis activities.
In keeping with the core function of documenting our flora, it is gratifying to demonstrate that our scientists are still
traversing the country in search of more collections. We have intensified expeditions to biodiversity hotspots notably
Kakamega, Mt. Kenya, Taita Hills, Coastal Forests and the little known inselbergs in the drylands of the country. Unique
botanical collections emanating from these surveys are invaluable additions to the herbarium and botanic garden. It will
not be lost to our readers that effort has been made to stay scientifically relevant; our scientists have published widely in
the last few years, and made every effort to pass on their experience and knowledge to young and upcoming botanists
through industrial attachments. The department has certainly come a long way in developing critical human and physical
infrastructure that will be invaluable in tackling immediate and future environmental challenges.
We are proud to be the custodians of a rich botanical heritage and ready to deliver solutions within a variety of international and national frameworks, including the VISION 2030 of the republic of Kenya.
Editors: Emily Wabuyele (PhD), Agnes Lusweti (MSc.), Stalin Kibet (MSc.), Jonathan Ayayo (Bsc.), Kimani Ndung’u (BSc.) George
Mugambi (PhD)
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Botanically speaking, the Loliondo wonder herb is…
Until four months ago, Loliondo village in Ngorongoro District, Arusha
Region was only a sleepy locale of pastoral herders and few agropastoralists going about their chores without the glare of the outside world.
The serenity of this village however transformed overnight into a sea of
humanity and snaking queues of traffic, thanks to retired Pastor Ambilikile
Mwasipile’s “discovery” of the wonder herb, a concoction derived from
parts of a shrub referred to locally by Maa community as olamuriaki and
nicknamed by the media as ‘the Loliondo wonder’.
Botanically speaking the plant is referred to as Carissa spinarum, previously known as Carissa edulis and belonging to the family Apocynaceae.
Other members of this plant family making headlines locally and abroad
include the omukombelo (Mukombero) - Mondia whytei. Omukombelo is
credited as a big-time aphrodisiac and appetizer, currently being commercialized as Mondia TonicTM. A recent report indicates that the USA and
China have been undertaking field germination trials with the aim of establishing commercial plantations of the species.
Daily transport service from Nairobi
Back to Loliondo, it costs only Tshs 500
(Ksh 25) to buy a complete dose (one cup)
of the medicine. However one way travel
by road to Ambilikile’s ‘clinic’ from Nairobi costs anything between Kshs 4000 to
Kshs 8000 (approx Tshs 68,000 to 136,000).
The long queues of patients from all walks
of life flocking to Loliondo for the treatment, testify to the heightened popularity
of the herb.
Suffice it to say, this plant is known to many… One could be right at your
doorstep!
Botanical perspective
This plant joined the realm of science for known species having been
described and named by the Swede botanist Carl Linnaeus in his famous
work Mantissa Plantarum published in the year 1771. It is an evergreen
shrub, 0.5 to 3 meters in height. The leaves are glossy green, opposite, narrow ovate (roughly egg-shaped) to lanceolate (ending in a sharp apex) and
1–5 cm in length.
The branches bear straight (sometimes forked) thorns measuring 1–5
cm long. Flowers are white, star-shaped about 1 cm across. Berries are
green, often tinged red or purple, 1–2 cm in diameter. The fruits turn black
or dark purple and glossy when ripe. The seeds are few, dark brown, often
compressed or undeveloped.
C. spinarum is commonly found scrambling on bushes, or rarely standing by itself. All parts of this plant exude white latex (milky sap) upon
bruising. It is widespread and often grows on forest edges, bushland and
thickets, especially on rocky hillsides. It prefers clay soils especially
black cotton soils at valley bottoms
and near seasonally flooded areas.
Its altitudinal range is 0-2000m,
rainfall 500-1800 mm and occurs in
many localities in the sub-humid to
semi-arid parts of East Africa.
Fruits of C. spinarum
This species is quite variable with
notable variation in features such as
spines (straight or forked spines),
fruits (round or pointed base),
leaves (smooth or hairy and in some
cases they are longer than wide).
C. spinarum is widespread in Kenya and much of tropical Africa
including Botswana, Cameroon, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. It
has also been recorded in parts of India, China, Australia and Asia.
Uses of the plant
Flowers of C. spinarum
All parts of the plant are used and or
applied in herbal medicine and food.
Several communities in Kenya use it to
treat ailments such as bone weakness,
gonorrhea, chest pain, indigestion,
lower abdominal pain, polio symptoms, headache, fever and breast cancer. The fruits and flowers are edible
and the plant makes good fodder for
goats. Indeed, many local populations
of the species are decimated, due to
over-harvesting. This plant grows
easily from seeds and cuttings and is
grown in some parts of the world for
fruits and as a hedge plant.
The importance of C. spinarum as a medicinal plant was recognized
nationally by experts in a consultative species prioritization process
(Conservation Assessment and Management Planning for medicinal
plants) undertaken in 2005 and reviewed in 2009. Using a range of criteria, C. spinarum is listed among the top sixty species with high potential
for commercialization in Kenya.
Lessons from the Loliondo story
Teeming by people in search of the miracle cure at Loliondo brings
to the fore some valuable lessons; first, many people are desperate for
healing and would go to any length for it. The fleet of vehicles carrying
patients to the herbalist attests to the fact that the East Africa has a significant population of people suffering from a myriad of ailments and
that the region is deficient in healthcare provision.
Second, the event has once again re-asserted the fact that our plant
diversity is a sleeping industry with untapped potential for turning
around the healthcare sector and the economy of the region, if only it is
conserved off– and on-site. It is not lost to us that 25% of conventional
prescription drugs are derived from plants.
Third, the Loliondo story is a cheerless account for the reason that
despite the advancement of science and technology, the region lags
behind in adding value to natural products including traditional medicines. The concoction being administered in Loliondo is not standardized and this in many ways works against management of wild populations of the plant. Furthermore, the concentration of people and sharing
of cups by patients is unhygienic and risky given that contagious diseases could easily be transmitted.
Last, but not least, the events of Loliondo exposed the apathy of
East African governments in providing guidance to this industry. Contradicting comments among professionals and government officials
from Kenya and Tanzania with respect to the wonder herb emanated
from the lack of information or ineffective policy guidelines.
In absence of well thought out intervention measures, the potential
of medicinal plants to revolutionize the health sector in East Africa and
indeed Africa will continue to remain just that – potential. Although the
market for herbal remedies already exists, economic benefits can only
be realized by investing in product development including trademark
creation. To take the ‘miracle cure’ to the next level, there is need to
conserve this species, invest in research to determine efficacy, toxicity,
stabilization for longer shelf-life as well as conservation and domestication potential. Once this is determined, commercial production can be
initiated and products made readily available for use in the right
amount and form.
an enigma well known to us
Compliments, Criticisms & Contributions should be sent to the Editorial Committee at eahnewsletter@museums.or.ke
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Reports from the field cont…..pg 6
are tested in the field, improved, up scaled and cross-fertilised to enhance ownership and consensus amongst participants.
Saluting the UPP Team and the
Tharaka People
To-date over 15,000 seedlings of priority species have been raised by
individuals, community groups and schools. It is anticipated that
knowledge generated thus far among the youth in the area will forever
endure.
The Useful Plants Project (UPP) team has in the recent past been involved in an initiative to promote conservation of useful plants in the
drylands of Kenya. Together with the people of Tharaka in Eastern
Kenya, the team has undertaken a number of activities that include
identification, documentation and promotion of on-farm domestication
of useful plants in the area. This partnership was mooted out of the
realization that the region was highly diverse in plant resources and
that the threats to the resource in the area were on the increase. Rising
human population and demand for forest products as well as impacts
of climate variability and change were noted as threatening the region’s
wild plant resources. The proponents of the partnership therefore saw
an opportunity to mitigate threats by enhancing the capacity of poor
rural communities to conserve wild plants most useful to them for their
wellbeing and the environment in general.
The joint effort of the research team and the local community has generated knowledge on 250 plants species with respect to their use, naming
(local and scientific names), and their conservation status in the locality.
A farmer briefing session by the UPP Team in Tharaka
Rising to the challenge
In order to fulfill emerging conservation challenges, Botany department has identified opportunities and avenues for dissemination of
knowledge. Perhaps the greatest diversion from tradition is embodied
in the ongoing efforts of the in-situ (ecosystem) conservation team to
share their research findings with members of the public in different
parts of the country from Suba Hills to Chyulu Hills. Notable achievements are the facilitation of the formation of Chyulu Hills Working
Group that will serve as a platform for information exchange and boost
stakeholder collaboration in the management of the Chyulu ecosystem.
This initiative was recognised as one of the most forward-looking in the
just-concluded national Conference for Dissemination of Research
Results and Exhibition of Innovations organized by the National Council for Science and Technology (NCST).
Members of the UPP team collecting data from a community group
Moreover, over 300 wild plant seed accessions have been collected,
processed and stored at the National GeneBank of Kenya; 160 duplicates are kept at the Millennium Seed Bank in the United Kingdom and
associated voucher specimens have found a place of pride at the East
African Herbarium.
Tissue culture protocols have been developed for the mukau tree (Melia
volkensii), a popular species for the dry lands and phytochemical profiles generated for the African Satinwood (Zanthoxylum
gillettii). The later species is
under heavy pressure due to
its medicinal properties.
Having spent over two
years in community work,
the team has gained experience on the use of Action
Research where concepts
and methods are developed
through interactive processes of reflection and implementation; competing Community tree nursery supported by
approaches and concepts
the UPP
A tree planting event organised by the ecosystem conservation team
in Suba Hills, Nyanza Province
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Publications
Dalitz C., Dalitz H., Musila W. & Masinde S. (2011): Illustrated Field Guide to the Common Woody Plants of Kakamega Forest. Institut für Lanschafts
- und Pflanzenökologie der Universität Hohenheim, Beiheft 24, 625 p, ISBN 078-3-9811595-5-4
Fischer, E., Rembold, K., Althof, A., Obholzer, J., Malombe, I., Mwachala, G., Onyango, J., Dumbo, D., & Theisen, I. (2010). Annotated Checklist of the
Vascular Plants of Kakamega Forest, Western Province, Kenya. Journal of East African Natural History 99(2) , 129-226.
Kibet, S. (2011). Plant communities, species diversity, richness and regeneration of traditionally managed coastal forest, Kenya. Forest Ecology and Management 261 , 949-957.
Kirika, P., & and Otieno, D. (2008). Preliminary Survey of the Flora of Chepkoilel Campus, Moi University. Proceedings of the 4th Annual International
Conference. Moi University.
Malombe, I., Fischer, E., & and Pócs, T. (2010). Cheilolejeunea ulugurica (Lejeuneaceae, Marchantiophyta), a new species from Tanzania. (E. PenzesKonya, Ed.) Acta Academiae Paedagogiae Agriensis Sectio Biologiae a Journal of Plant Biology , 23-28.
Mugambi, G., & Huhndorf, S. (2010). Multigene Phylogeny of the Coronophorales: Morphology and new species in the order. Mycologia 102(1) , 185210.
Nagata, J. M., Jew, A. R., Kimeu, J. M., Salmen, C. R., Bukusi, E. A., & Cohen, C. R. (2011). Medical pluralism on Mfangano Island: Use of medicinal
plants among persons living with HIV/AIDS in Suba District, Kenya. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 135 , 501-509.
Ngugi, G., Newton, L. E., & Muasya, M. (2011). The Contribution of Forest Products to Dryland Household Economy: The case of Kiang'ombe hill
forest, Kenya. Ethnobotany Research & Applications 9 , 163-180.
Tolo, F., Rukunga, G., Muli, F., Ochora, J., Irungu, B., Muthaura, C., Wanjiku, C., Mungai, G., Ngoc, Q., Hashimoto, K., and Asakawa, Y. (2010). The
antiviral activity of compounds isolated from Kenyan Carrisa edulis (Forssk.) Vahl. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol. 4(15) , 1517-1522.
Vorontsova, M. S., Kirika, P., & Muthoka, P. (2010). Overlooked diversity of African Solanum (Solanaceae):new and endangered Solanum agnewiorum
from Kenya. Phytotaxa 10 , 31-37.
Wabuyele, E., & Nordal, I. (2010). The development of species level taxonomy in Eastern Africa from the Flora of Tropical Africa to present day - ideas
and methods used. In X. v. Burgt (Ed.), Systematics and Conservation of African Plants. Proceedings of the 18th AETFAT Congress. Yaunde, Cameroun.
Partnerships & Collaborations
Economic Botany
• Ms. Grace Ngugi, Dr. Emily Wabuyele and Ms Peris Kamau worked with the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) in developing
the
Agricultural Product Value Chain (APVC) for Nuts, indigenous Medicinal and Aromatic plants (MAPs), pulses, root & tuber crops, horticultural
botanical s and fiber plants.
Developments at the Nairobi Botanic Gardens (NBG)
• Work on the Grass garden display in collaboration with the Embassy of Finland in Nairobi is almost complete.
• Kenya Museum Society and Nairobi Botanic Garden are developing interpretive display panels and have produced an information brochure to
enhance botanic garden education.
•
NBG provided outreach services for environmental (Green) initiatives in two schools in Nairobi and Central Kenya. In addition, technical support to Kitale conservancy and Kitale museum.
•
NBG horticultural staff spent time with Mr. Feilin, a visiting horticultural fellow from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. They shared useful gardening
tips.
•
The development of the Bally Corner in memory of the late Dr. P.R.O. Bally at the Succulent Garden in collaboration with Prof. Len E. Newton of
Kenyatta University is underway .
LUCID keys and Factsheets for invasive plants in East Africa completed
• Dr. Emily Wabuyele, Ms. Agnes Lusweti and Dr. Paul Ssegawa (Makerere University) completed the LUCID key and fact sheets for 119 invasive
alien plants of East Africa. This was a collaborative project sponsored by BIONET International and BioNET EAFRINET under its UVIMA project
in support of food security in the region. The key and fact sheets will be made available online and on CD.
Field expeditions
• Mr. Daniel Odhiambo spent four days in Kakamega forest, inventorying the orchid flora. He was supported by the Kenya Orchids Society.
• A national survey of the status of the invasive weed Parthenium is ongoing. This is a collaborative project with partners in Uganda, Tanzania and
Virginia Tech State University of the USA .
Regional News
Change of guard at Botany Department
Dr. Geoffrey Mwachala (picture left) ascended to the post of Director for Research
and Collections at the National Museums of Kenya. An astute botanist, Dr. Mwachala
was at the helm of the Botany department since 2007 during which time he spearheaded various programs that boosted capacity building in floristic/botanical research. The Botany family appreciates Dr. Mwachala for his outstanding contributions to botany over the years and extends a warm welcome to Dr. Itambo Malombe
(picture right) as he takes up his new role as Head of Botany Department.
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Meetings and Events
Staying informed with the E&E Reading Group
Appreciation of the interdependence of organisms requires broad knowledge on interactions as well
as a multidisciplinary approach to research. For instance, biodiversity conservation necessitates a clear
understanding of the ecosystems/landscapes, species composition and interactions with both biotic
and abiotic elements. The Ecology and Evolution journal club was formed in late 2009 by a group of
NMK scientists with the aim of providing a forum to interact and discuss broad scientific issues in
Ecology, Systematics, Phylogenetics and Evolution. The aim of the Journal Club is to bring together
workers from different biological disciplines to exchange ideas on modern scientific approaches and
advancements and to promote collaboration in various fields of biodiversity research.
The first meeting was held in early 2010 and the group meets every Friday. The group has
A session of the E&E Reading Group achieved success in form of improved working relations amongst scientists, which has resulted in
several collaborative field excursions and research proposals. Members are encouraged to circulate
manuscripts and proposals to seek comments before final submission. Group membership is open to all colleagues working in fields of natural history. Requests for inclusion to the mailing list can be made by email to the group convener, Dr. George Mugambi (gkmugambi@gmail.com).
Upcoming Events
• The third Scientific Conference for the NMK will be held from 9th to 11th November
2011 under the theme “Heritage Management for sustainable development”. Details on subthemes, venue and modalities for participation, are available at www.museums.or.ke.
Past events: Guest lectures at Botany Department
• Talk by Allison Louthan , US student based at Mpala Research Centre on the 18th May 2011.
• Talk by Miguel Alvarez of University of Bonn biodiversity of small wetlands in East Africa on 26th May 2011
Botany department in capacity building
Planting ‘botanical seeds’
The Botany department endeavours to initiate, stimulate and support botanical sciences and research, as well as to build and strengthen capacity in
botany in Kenya and the region. The department achieves these aims by making its facilities available on a competitive basis to students from different
training institutions through industrial attachments or internships. Students attached at the department are under-graduates at universities, polytechnics and other institutions pursuing courses in botany, environmental science, applied biology and horticulture among other related disciplines. Prospective attachment students apply through the human resource (HR) department at least two months before their anticipated starting date. The students enrolled on these programmes benefit by accomplishing their training requirement while acquiring skills from qualified staff at the department.
Attachments provide opportunities for the participants to interact with local and
international researchers and to pursue careers in plant science and research. Trainees are assigned
a supervisor at the department and follow a laid out programme. In addition, specialised talks and
courses such in Herbarium techniques are offered to organized groups such as staff from other
research institutions. At the end of the attachment period (typically three months), the trainee is
required to complete a short project and submit a report to the supervisor.
Relevant training afield
• Scientific communication and publishing course: Organised by the Training
Centre in Communication, Nairobi, Kenya at the University of Nairobi, Chiromo Campus, 15-19
August 2011: www.tcc-africa.org/tcc
•
Students currently on attachment at the department
Scholarships opportunity: The 2012 intake for the AusAID Development Scholarships (Agriculture PhDs) is now open. Note the due date
for applications is 31 July 2011. www.international.qut.edu.au/apply/scholarships/australian-government.jsp
Staff News
Dr. Halima Saado has successfully completed her PhD studies in Ethnobotany at the University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Title of Thesis : “The Ethnobotany and Pharmacological Screening of South African Podocarpus Species”
Mr. Simon Kang’ethe completed MSc. training in Information Systems Engineering, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)University of Sunderland, UK.
Dr. Saado at her graduation in
S. Africa, 2011
The skills and knowledge the two have acquired will contribute immensely in
the advancement of the department’s economic botany and biodiversity informatics activities.
Congratulations to the graduants!!
Simon Kangethe at his graduation, 2011
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Message from the Head of Department
The National Museums of Kenya underwent
structural reorganization in 2005 in order to
improve management, accountability and performance that resulted into changes in administrative units. The historical East African Herbarium established in 1902 was retained as a
section, and together with the Nairobi Botanic
Gardens, now form Botany Department. Despite the changes, the primary role of the department as a national centre for botanical
reference collections, tool for species identification and arbitration of authentic names, wide
ranging botanical research, environmental and species conservation, and as
a comprehensive databank of the regional flora has been upheld. Botany is
the oldest department of the National Museums of Kenya and holds close
to one million specimens, the largest botanical collection in the sub-region.
Functions
The departmental functions are addressed through seven sections:
Taxonomy and Curation (plants & fungi) sections, deal with Bryophytes,
non seed Vascular species, Rosids, Asterids and Monocots. Mycology
compliments this function and covers Basidiomycetes, Ascomycetes,
mycorrhizal fungi and lichens. The resultant herbarium collections are
crucial in providing information for taxonomic revision of groups
through monographs and floras such as Flora of Tropical East Africa
(FTEA). They also provide vital support in species conservation, ecology, phytochemistry and pharmacology. The two sections also undertake research on systematics and evolutionary biology using data from
morphology, anatomy, biochemistry and DNA.
Ex Situ Conservation section has spear-headed seed collection, research
and long term banking since 1992. The priority is conservation and
propagation of threatened flora. The section is, in partnership with
local and international stakeholders, responsible for plant germplasm
conservation. Over 2000 accessions of seeds have been banked todate.
In Situ conservation section (also manages soil ecology laboratory) is responsible for studying natural plant community dynamics. Activities
include restoration of degraded forests to mitigate loss of species in
the face of environmental and climate changes.
Economic botany section is responsible for collecting information on the
useful plants of Kenya. This includes the medicinal plants and species
with potential for use in agriculture or other human uses. It is also
involved in documenting the indigenous knowledge used in the cultivation and storage of traditional crops.
Information and Documentation section core business is collation and
dissemination of botanical knowledge. Information from about 80,000
specimens indicating species name, localities and uses have been captured in database software, BRAHMS (Botanical Research and Herbarium Management System). Supplemented by wide ranging literature
held in the herbarium library, the database is increasingly instrumental in planning future botanical explorations and plant diversity and
conservation studies, as well as predicting scenarios such as shifts in
vegetation patterns that may result from the anticipated global warming.
Education and training section coordinates specialized courses offered in
the department such as the Herbarium Techniques Course and manages student industrial attachments.
Nairobi Botanic Garden maintains a living collection of medicinal, food,
rare and threatened plant species displayed in various themes such as
succulent garden and orchid house. Other functions include management of the plant nursery and landscaping of the gardens. It also undertakes a public education programme in specialized fields such as
environmental conservation.
Collections
The rich botanical collection attracts many researchers from around the
world who visit to study the specimens in a serene and friendly
setting. Some notable historical collections from Africa include those
by C.G. Ehrenberg (1825) from Eritrea, W.P. Schimper and T. Kotschy
(between 1837 and 1863) from Ethiopia, W.C.H. Peters (1842-1848)
from Mozambique and O. Warnecke (1900-1901) from Togo. In East
Africa, major contributions have been by F. Stuhlmann (1888-1901), W.
Busse (1900-1904), A. Zimmermann (1902-1918), P.J. Greenway (19281958), P.R.O Bally (1938-1950), B. Verdcourt (1958-1964) and J. B. Gillett (1964-1971).
Local botanists in collaboration with visiting scientists have intensified
national plant explorations in various ecosystems in the last few year.
Most of the recent collections have been obtained from the coastal
forests and eastern Arc mountains, montane and afro alpine
(including Mts Kenya, Elgon and Aberdares) and lowland rainforest
(Kakamega Forest) ecosystems. The collection numbers are expected to
increase tremendously with focused studies on cryptogamic plants
and fungi.
Collaboration
Botany Department collaborates with individuals and institutions at
national and international levels. We are grateful to our research partners most of whom provide the funds for laboratory and field studies
as well as capacity building in botany and related disciplines.
Reports from the field……...continued from page 3
In service of the orchid flora of Kenya
Orchids are undoubtedly some of the most charismatic group of
plants, drawing interest from amateurs, scientists, naturalists and
traders the world over. Each year, the world is treated to orchid shows
that display the plants in all their glamour of rainbow-like blooms.
The ever-increasing demand for orchids in Kenya and abroad, coupled
with habitat destruction is of grave concern to the conservation of
indigenous orchids.
Since 1995, Botany department has
taken a keen interest in conserving
the over 280 species of orchids indigenous to Kenya. The department
maintains a comprehensive electronic
dataset of East African orchid species
that is frequently consulted by both
local and foreign researchers. This is
augmented by a live collection of
over 250 specimens at the botanic
garden.
During the past one year, the orchid’s Disa stairsii at habitat
team has been up and about in search
in Mt. Kenya
of more treasures from a range of
localities including Cherangany, Mount Kenya, the Aberdare, Taita
Hills and the Coastal forests. Their last visit to Kakamega forest
yielded interesting finds representing significant extension of range for at least four
species previously known to
occur only in the coastal forests of Kenya. In addition a
terrestrial orchid, probably
new to science was collected.
A collection of orchids at the Nairobi
botanic garden
Contributors: Itambo Malombe, Agnes Lusweti, Daniel Odhiambo, Alice Wagura, Emily Wabuyele, Winnie Musila, Patrick Muthoka,
George Mugambi, Jonathan Ayayo and Peris Kamau
Photo credits: Jonathan, Staline, Mwangi, Alice, George, Kimani and Grace
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