ABSTRACT
The term ‘natural vegetation’ is purposely avoided, as much of the present plant cover is not natural because of man’s interference. The map indicates only the present vegetation, not the presumed climax types. At the small scale of the map, and in the general terms used in this description, areas of cultivation cannot be dealt with. The first comprehensive study of African vegetation was that of Marbut and Shantz. Excluding Madagascar, they calculated that forest covered 18 per cent of the continent, grassland 42 per cent and desert 39 per cent. Within the tropical regions of Africa subject to a long and severe dry season in winter and a rainy season in summer the larger part is occupied by various forms of vegetation collectively included in the conventional term ‘savanna’. It is impossible here to deal with all the diverse types of plant community which occur on the mountains of Africa.
