the biodiversity and conservation of mount chiperone ... - IIAM

Darwin Initiative Award 15/036: Monitoring and Managing Biodiversity Loss in 

South-east Africa's Montane Ecosystems 

THE BIODIVERSITY AND 

CONSERVATION OF 

MOUNT CHIPERONE, MOZAMBIQUE 

July 2007 

Jonathan Timberlake, Julian Bayliss, Tereza Alves, Susana Baena, Jorge 

Francisco, Tim Harris, Camila da Sousa 

Forestry Research 

Institute of Malawi

Biodiversity and Conservation of Mt Chiperone, Mozambique, FINAL 29 June 2007, page 2 of 33 

LIST OF CONTENTS 

1. INTRODUCTION 3 

2. STUDY AREA 3 

Geology and Geomorphology 5 

Climate 5 

Landuse 5 

3. PREVIOUS STUDIES 6 

4. VEGETATION TYPES 6 

Vegetation Mapping 7 

Historical Change 11 

Vegetation Types 11 

Summit Thicket 12 

High-Altitude Forest 12 

Medium-Altitude Forest 13 

Miombo and Similar Woodland Types 13 

Disturbed Woodland and Fallows 14 

Rocky Outcrops 15 

5. BOTANY 15 

6. ZOOLOGY 16 

Local Hunter Records 17 

Small Mammals 18 

Birds 18 

Reptiles and Amphibians 20 

Lepidoptera 20 

Coleoptera and Hemiptera 22 

7. THREATS AND CONSERVATION ISSUES 23 

8. RECOMMENDATIONS 24 

Research Issues 24 

9. CONCLUSIONS 24 

10. REFERENCES 25 

ANNEX 1. Participants on Mt Chiperone Expedition, Nov/Dec 2006 27 

ANNEX 2. Plant checklist from Mt Chiperone above 800 m 28 

ANNEX 3. List of birds seen on Mt Chiperone, 15–18 December 2005 32


1. INTRODUCTION 

A scientific expedition to Mount Chiperone in northern Mozambique was carried out from 22 

November to 5 December 2006. The expedition was funded under a Darwin Initiative grant to the 

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – "Monitoring and Managing Biodiversity Loss on South-East 

Africa's Montane Ecosystems". The expedition was a collaborative effort between Kew, the 

Instituto de Investigação Agraria de Moçambique (IIAM), the Mulanje Mountain Conservation 

Trust (MMCT), and the Forest Research Institute of Malawi (FRIM). A full list of participants is 

given in Appendix 1. 

The objectives of the expedition and study were: 

1. To undertake botanical and vegetation field survey of Mount Chiperone 

2. To gather additional zoological information on the mountain 

3. To train a team of Mozambican and Malawian biologists in botanical and vegetation survey 

techniques 

4. To asses the extent and status and threats to the moist forest and other biodiversity on the 

mountain 

5. Based on gathered field data, to develop species and habitat recovery plans. 

This report attempts to document what is known on the biodiversity and physical attributes of 

Mount Chiperone, to present the results of the expedition, and to outline the threats to that 

biodiversity. It also outlines conservation management issues, with particular reference to moist 

forest above 1000 m altitude, and gives some conservation recommendations. Species and habitat 

recovery plans will be outlined in another report towards the end of the project. 

2. STUDY AREA 

Location 

Mount Chiperone in northern Mozambique is a semi-isolated peak situated some 50 km south of the 

Mount Mulanje massif in southern Malawi. It lies in Milange District of Zambézia Province, 40 km 

SSW of the District Centre of Milange. The area of Mount Chiperone above 600 m covers about 

100 km 2 , with around 4915 ha (in planimetric view) above 800 m altitude, 2770 ha above 1000 m, 

and only 110 ha over 1800 m. The massif is centred on 16 o 29'S, 35 o 43'E, with the highest point at 

2054 m (c. 16 o 28'44"S, 35 o 42'88"E). 

The surrounding plains to the north form part of the central African plateau, here lying at around 

400–450 m altitude, while the land to the south falls away rapidly to 200–350 m towards the coast 

some 200 km away from the Zambezi Delta. The Shire valley, part of the East African Rift Valley, 

lies 35 km to the west at an altitude at this point of 50–100 m. 

Starting from a road-head in Sabelua village (16 o 30'48"S, 35 o 46'08"E, alt. 400 m) on the SE slopes, 

expedition members walked up the south-eastern flank through cleared and regenerating woodland 

vegetation, across two ridges, and established a base camp just inside the nearest patch of moist 

forest (16 o 30'35.4"S, 35 o 43'42.7"E) at an altitude of 1029 m. Most of the survey work was 

concentrated in the forest and miombo woodland within relatively easy access of the camp. In 

addition, reconnaissance trips were made up along the NW–SE trending summit ridge and on the 

eastern slopes above Marega village (16 o 28'1.4"S, 35 o 45'45.1"E, alt. 502 m). Collecting localities 

and areas visited are shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Map of Chiperone area and collecting localities. 

Biodiversity and Conservation of Mt Chiperone, Mozambique, FINAL 29 June 2007, page 4 of 33


Logistics and the full itinerary are given in a separate report (J. Bayliss, Trip Report – Mount 

Chiperone Expedition, 22 Nov–5 Dec 2006). 

Geology and Geomorphology 

Mount Chiperone, a semi-isolated peak, appears to rise rapidly out of the surrounding plateau, and 

has a distinctive small pointed peak when viewed from the north or east. There is a NW–SE 

trending ridge, with a main peak (2054 m, ONC charts) slightly towards the NW end. However 

published figures vary slightly, from 2017 m [Google Earth] to 2065 m [1:250,000 map]. Other 

minor high points are seen along the ridge, some of which are almost devoid of woody cover. 

Otherwise the slopes coming off the ridge are steep and mostly covered in closed moist forest. 

The mountain is composed of fairly recent syenite (Jurassic/Cretaceous period, c.150 Mya), 

intruded the surrounding country rock, which comprises migmatites (metamorphic rock injected 

with igneous material) of the Namarroi series (850–1100 Mya). In this respect, Chiperone differs 

from most of the other massifs or hills in northern Mozambique, which are composed of 

migmatities or granites (e.g. Mt Namuli, the inselbergs around Ribaue and Nampula). The 

exceptions are Mt Tembe at Morrumbala and Mount Tumbine above Milange town, and much 

further to the south, a large part of Mount Gorongosa. Mt Mulanje, formed 130 Mya at 

approximately the same time as Chiperone, is composed of syenite, quartz-syenite and granite 

(Garson & Walshaw 1969, Eastwood 1988), nomenclature depending on the level of quartz (syenite 

if quartz is essentially absent). 

The main drainage off the mountain is to the south west. These small rivers, the Rio Macololo 

(becoming the Rio Metambe) and the Rio Muse, are probably not perennial. They both drain into 

the Shire River in southern Malawi above the town of Nsanje. 

Climate 

Climatic data on the area are not available. From coarse-scale maps, mean annual rainfall is around 

1400 mm/year. Meteorological data from Milange, 40 km away (Kassam et al. 1981), give a mean 

annual rainfall of 1733.9 mm (28 years), with a mean annual temperature of 23 o C, mean maximum 

of 28.9 o C and mean minimum of 17.1 o C. Vegetation on the lower slopes of the mountain, however, 

suggests that rainfall is somewhat lower, perhaps around 1000 mm/year. 

Landuse 

There are two villages and settlements at the base of Mt Chiperone on the south and south-eastern 

slopes, Sabelua and Marega. The peneplain here has been extensively cleared and is cultivated at 

subsistence level. The northern, north-eastern and western slopes seem little affected by human 

activity, although they were not visited on the ground. On the lower slopes on the south and southeast 

there has been patchy clearance for cultivation of maize, cassava and beans, and extensive 

burning, particularly in the Marega area. The landscape of Mt. Chiperone is a mosaic of cultivation, 

disturbed woodland and fallows/regenerating woodland of various ages. This continues through the 

miombo woodland belt until the edge of the moist forest. There is virtually no cultivation or cleared 

patches above 1000 m altitude on the southern and south-western slopes, but cleared patches are 

found up to 1400 m on the (presumably moister or more mesic) south-eastern slopes. 

The moist forest itself appears very little disturbed, apart from fire along the boundaries, 

particularly marked in the gullies. This lack of anthropogenic disturbance is possibly due to the 

local belief of malevolent spirits residing in the forest.


Water was identified as a particular problem for villages at the base of the mountain. There are a 

few small streams running off, but during the dry season these dry up or become a trickle. There are 

apparently no wells or boreholes in the vicinity. 

3. PREVIOUS STUDIES 

It appears that very little published information is available on Mt Chiperone and the immediate 

surrounding area. This is rather surprising considering the wealth of information – geological, 

biological, historical – on Mt Mulanje in Malawi, just 50 km away. However, rarely did researchers 

and others based in Malawi extend their study or visit across the border, even though in the first 

part of the 20th century access to this part of Malawi was often by train through Mozambique and 

up the Shire Valley. Dixey, the Nyasaland Government Geologist, for example, does not mention 

Chiperone in his study on the "Mlanje Mountains of Nyasaland" (Dixey 1927), and Jim Chapman, a 

Forester who spent many years working and collecting on and around Mt Mulanje, has also not 

visited (pers. comm. 2007). Vincent, in his mammoth bird-collecting trip across southern Malawi 

and northern Mozambique, did not visit, but saw the "island" Mt Chiperone from afar and said it 

"..... should hold much interest to the naturalist". The main knowledge of Chiperone among many 

residents of Malawi would appear to be through the so-called "chiperone" weather, a 5-day misty 

weather system that is reputed to generate over Chiperone and which then moves towards Mulanje, 

bringing light rainfall. Such weather is of particular significance and benefit to the tea plantations 

there. 

The first recorded biological collecting from Mount Chiperone was of birds, carried out from 25–31 

July 1950 by Jali Makawa, a collector for the famous ornithologist C.W. Benson (reported in 

Benson 1950 and Spottiswoode et al. 2006). Over 6 days at an altitude of around 1500 m Makawa 

collected at least one specimen of 18 species, with 9 additional sight records, including a number of 

threatened or range-restricted species (see Parker 2001). Eight were new records for Mozambique at 

that time. He reported that there was extensive evergreen forest on the eastern slopes (3 square 

miles or 780 ha), more extensive then than anything in southern Malawi. There are reports of small 

mammals and birds being collected around 2002 by persons from the Chicago Field Museum and 

Department of Biology of Universidade Eduardo Mondlane in Maputo, but results are not yet 

available. In December 2005, Claire Spottiswoode, Hassam Patel, Eric Herrmann and Julian Bayliss 

recorded forest birds in the same part of the mountain visited by the present expedition, and also 

collected some of the main plants. A report on this study and an assessment of forest extent is given 

in Spottiswoode et al. (2007). 

4. VEGETATION TYPES 

At a regional scale the Chiperone massif is relatively small, but even so both Wild and Barbosa 

(1967) in the vegetation map of the Flora Zambesiaca area, and Frank White (1983) in his major 

work on African vegetation, depict it. White shows Chiperone as a forest patch of East African 

coastal mosaic (type 16b), similar to that on other montane massifs in northern Mozambique, and 

surrounded by Drier Zambezian Miombo Woodland (type 26). The more detailed map by Wild & 

Barbosa (1967), which formed the basis of White's map, shows it as Moist Evergreen Forest 

(medium and low altitude), surrounded by Brachystegia spiciformis–Julbernardia Woodland. Our 

observations support this, although little B. spiciformis was seen in the surrounding woodlands, and 

the moist forest was primarily medium altitude, not low altitude. 

Earlier studies include Barbosa's (1952) study on the vegetation of Zambézia Province. He 

describes the vegetation of Mt Chiperone, along with that on other massifs such as Mt Mabu and


Morrumbala, as Unit 1, Moist Tropical Montane Forest (rain and clouds). He says that in general 

trees are evergreen, 18–20 m high with 3 or 4 strata, and forest is only found at over 1200 m 

altitude. The herbaceous layer is poor, but ferns are common. He also points out that additional 

moisture is available to these forests through clouds being formed as the prevailing moist southeasterly 

airflow is forced over the mountains and cools. Above a certain, unspecified, altitude 

temperatures are sufficiently cool that a xerophytic thicket vegetation is encountered dominated by 

species from the Ericaceae and Proteaceae families. This is what the present survey found at around 

1900–2000 m. According to Barbosa, typical moist forest species include: Albizia gummifera, 

Anthocleista grandiflora, Coffea ligustroides, Cussonia arborea, Entada rheedei, Harungana 

madagascariensis, Heteropyxis natalensis, Macaranga spp., Maesa lanceolata, Newtonia 

buchananii, Oxyanthus speciosus, Parinari curatellifolia, Parinari excelsa, Smilax anceps, Trichila 

dregeana, Vitex spp., and the herbs Afromomum spp., Costus sp, Ensete sp. and Piper umbellatum. 

A number of these species, although not all, were noted in the forests of Mt Chiperone. 

Pedro & Barbosa (1955) produced a map of the vegetation of Mozambique, which later formed the 

basis of the Mozambique section of Wild & Barbosa's Flora Zambesiaca map. They do not give 

details of vegetation in our study area as apparently this was only seen from afar, but they state that 

vegetation at 1000–1800 m is part of Complex 79 (Montane zones of Zambézia–Niassa), while 

those parts above 1800 m fall into Complex 80 (Subalpine zones of Zambézia). 

Vegetation Mapping 

Vegetation mapping, specifically determination of the extent of moist forest, was carried out using 

two separate techniques. These were manual interpretation of remotely-sensed data supported by 

study of available air photos, and the supervised classification of a combination of Landsat ETM+ 

and ASTER digital imagery. In addition, the historical air photos were used to determine 

approximate moist forest extent in 1969. These studies are elaborated upon below. 

Forest is here defined as a continuous stand of trees with interlocking crowns, mostly over 10 m in 

height. It differs from the FAO definition, which covers most stands of woody plants including 

what we would term woodland. 

The only air photos available were from 1969 at a scale of 1:46,500. Unfortunately cloud cover 

over the peak and shadows from it reduced their usefulness. Orientation once up the mountain was 

difficult owing to the steeply-dissected terrain, lack of locatable landmarks, and uncertainty on 

extent of vegetation clearance and infrastructural changes since 1969. 

Air photos of Mt Chiperone, 1:46,500 scale, 1969 

path 76 39/ 168–171 

path 77 39/ 193–195 

a) Manual Interpretation 

Manual interpretation of forest extent was carried out using a grey-scale Landsat ETM image from 

May 2002 as the base, and supported by use of 1969 air photos and field knowledge from the 

southern slopes. This polygon was digitised and put into a GIS (Figure 3). Based on this, forest 

extent was calculated to be 1717 ha (Table 1). 

b) Digital Classification 

Initially a draft vegetation map was made based on an unsupervised classification (maximum 

likelihood algorithm, applied to a 6-band stack image) of a Landsat ETM+ image acquired from 

May 2002 (path 167, row 071). Nine classes were recognised, including two different forest types


with an additional 'shadow' class. Based on this initial interpretation, it was calculated that 2063 ha 

of forest was present, with approximately 92% of this lying above 800 m altitude. 

Following fieldwork and the recording of 170 ground control points (GPS readings in areas clearly 

either forest, woodland or cleared), a final vegetation map was developed using a Landsat ETM+ 

image acquired from May 2002 (30 m resolution, Figure 2a) and an ASTER image acquired in 

September 2001 (15 m resolution, Figure 2b). Both images (path/row 167/071) were registered to 

UTM Zone 36 S (WGS 84) with radiometric and geometric correction. Following an initial 

inspection of both images, Landsat proved to discriminate different vegetation types more 

accurately despite its coarser resolution. In order to gain information from the ASTER image, the 

NDVI was developed and stacked to the 6-band Landsat product. A supervised classification was 

then performed on the combination of original Landsat bands and NDVI. The following vegetation 

types were separated: forest, open forest, woodland, open savanna and cultivation. High-altitude 

forest was not spectrally different from medium-altitude forest, therefore a threshold of 1600 m was 

used to differentiate them. The resulting map is shown in Figure 4, with the extent of forest types 

given in Table 1. 

Figures 2a and 2b. Mt Chiperone area – Landsat ETM+ image, May 2002 (left) and ASTER 

satellite image, September 2001 (right). 

Relatively minor differences can be seen between the extent of forest as determined using the two 

techniques. As forest was hardly noted in the field below 1000 m, at least on the southern and 

eastern slopes, it is possible that the forest category also includes some miombo (Brachystegiadominant) 

woodland areas. 

Table 1. Forest extent (2002) on Mt Chiperone determined using different methods. 

Forest extent (ha) 

Supervised Manual 

Open forest - medium altitude 241.6 – 

Open forest - high altitude 165.4 – 

Forest - medium altitude 1051.5 1307 

Forest - high altitude 176.6 410 

TOTAL 1635.1 1717

Figure 3. Extent of forest on Mt Chiperone (visual interpretation). 


Figure 4. Vegetation types on Mt Chiperone, supervised classification. 



In the digital classification map the separation between forest and open forest is not clear owing to 

lack of ground control points in this area and from casual ground observation. A better figure for 

forest extent is probably obtained by combining these two classes. As can be seen from Table 1, 

this is around 1635 ha. As mentioned previously, the separation of medium and high altitude forest 

was based solely on the 1600 m contour. 

Ground control points were limited to the southern slopes, with a few on the eastern slopes (see 

Figure 1). The limited distribution of these points across the mountain was a severe impediment to a 

more accurate determination of vegetation patterns. 

c) Historical Forest Cover 

The 1969 extent of moist forest cover was determined from stereoscopic visual analysis of 

historical air photos. The mapped extent was calculated manually using a dot planimeter as no 

reliable control points were available to enter it into a GIS. Allowance was made for edge-distortion 

by calculating areas only from the central parts of the air photos. Total area was calculated to be 

around 2500 ha. 

Historical Change 

The limited comparisons possible on the extent of forest cover as seen on historical air photos, on 

recent satellite imagery and on the ground suggest that forest cover has diminished by 800–1000 ha 

over the intervening 37 years, or between 32 and 40%. This would appear to be primarily from the 

southern and south-eastern slopes between 800–1200 m, in some of the northern valleys at similar 

altitudes, and on lower south-western slopes at 600–1000 m. 

Ground observation shows that fire is used extensively for clearing fallow land before replanting, 

and these fires eat into the remaining forest, particularly in gullies where fires are fiercer owing to a 

denser combustible layer of plant matter (= fuel). Evidence for this can be seen in severely firedamaged 

forest trees now standing clear of the remaining forest, and in the frequency of secondary 

woody species growing into the forest. Even 50 m inside the present forest margin, evidence of fire 

on the trunks of forest trees can be seen. Apart from on the southern and south-eastern slopes, it is 

possible that much of the agricultural clearance in recent years is actually of pre-existing cleared 

land, or land that 50 years ago or more supported woodland, rather than true moist forest. 

Vegetation Types 

Broadly speaking, Mt Chiperone is covered with medium and higher altitude forest above about 

1000 m, with miombo or similar woodland types below that and on the ridges above with shallow 

soils. The topography on the mid-slopes is very dissected and often steep, hence soils are shallow. 

This may be an explanation for the comparatively low number of large diameter trees. Species 

composition and structure of the forest gradually changes at around 1600–1800 m, with shorter, 

more sclerophyllous tree species festooned with 'bearded' lichen (probably Usnea spp.), indicating 

cooler conditions and more frequent moist air (i.e. mists and cloud). At the very peak an odd 

sclerophyllous thicket vegetation is found, insufficiently investigated or collected, comprising Erica 

(previously Phillipia) shrubs and the shrubby Aloe arborescens. The general vegetation patterns 

and composition are similar to those recorded from Mt Mulanje by Chapman & White (1970). 

From a conservation viewpoint, the most important habitat is moist forest. Such forests are 

particularly extensive and relatively undisturbed on Mt Chiperone compared to many areas in 

adjacent Malawi. Moist forest can be subdivided into medium altitude and high altitude, with the 

division occurring around 1600 m. In practice there is probably a broad transition zone ranging 

from 1600–1800 m depending on slope and aspect. Some tree species more typical of higher


altitude forest are found in medium altitude forest, and in more sheltered and favourable positions 

medium altitude forest species, e.g. Khaya anthotheca and Strombosia scheffleri, can be found as 

high as 1800 m. From limited observations it appears the forest canopy is around 20–30 m high at 

1500 m altitude, reduced to 10–20 m high at 1700 m. 

Unlike some other mountains in the region (e.g. Namuli, Gorongosa, Mulanje), Mt Chiperone has 

no grassland, a habitat that often supports endemic species. The main open areas are patches of bare 

or barely vegetated or scrubby rock outcrops. 

Much of the woodland below 800 m altitude has been cleared for subsistence cultivation, at least 

where soils are more fertile. Large patches of miombo woodland are still present on the western and 

northern slopes (these areas were not visited), where human settlements are very few. Much of this 

cleared area supports regenerating or secondary woodland and fallows. The main vegetation types 

are described below. 

Summit Thicket 

This type is only reported from the exposed peak at around 1900–2000 m altitude to the summit, 

and probably has an extent of only 2–5 ha. It comprises an impenetrable thicket of Erica cf. 

johnstoniana shrubs 2–3 m high, previously classified under Phillipia, with a mass of decumbent 

stem aloes (Aloe arborescens). A small succulent, Crassula swaziensis, was found on rocks, along 

with the fern Mohria lepigera. The three persons from the expedition who reached this point found 

it too difficult to hack away through to the actual (unmarked) peak. Epiphytic "bearded" lichens 

(cf.Usnea spp.) are common. 

Unfortunately, owing to time constraints, very little collecting was done here. It would appear this 

type is rarely, if ever, exposed to fire, and is rarely visited by humans. It is under no threat, and is of 

conservation interest. 

High-altitude Forest 

Above about 1600 m forest species composition starts to change. Shorter and more sclerophyllous 

trees predominate, many festooned with lichens. Total extent is probably around 400 ha. This forest 

type was only superficially explored on the southern ridges, hence the description below must be 

considered provisional. 

The main woody species appear to be Peddiea africana, Diospyros whyteana, Maytenus undata, M. 

acuminata, Myrsine africana, Ochna holstii, Vepris (Oricia) bachmannii and Olea capensis subsp. 

macrocarpa. Other common species include Garcinia kingaensis, Tricalysia sp., Lasianthus 

kilimandscharicus, Psychotria zombamontana, Rawsonia lucida, Xymalos monospora, 

Tabernaemontana stapfiana, Schefflera goetzenii, Rinorea angustifolia subsp. ardisiifolia and 

Rapanea melanophloeos. Various species of fern and Selaginella kraussiana are more common 

here than lower down. Trees more typical of medium altitude forest also found at 1600 m include 

Diospyros cf. abyssinica, Khaya anthotheca, Strombosia scheffleri, Syzygium guineense subsp. 

afromontanum, Rawsonia lucida, Myrianthus holstii, Garcinia volkensii and Drypetes gerrardii. 

At these altitudes there are also patches of woodland and forest margins or open areas associated 

with rocky outcrops. Common species include Carissa bispinosa, Schefflera goetzenii, Dovyalis 

macrocalyx, Erythroxylum emarginatum, Tricalysia acocantheroides and the lithophytic fern 

Oleandra distenta.


No evidence of fire was seen, and little evidence of human use or visitation. Accessibility is 

difficult, and the terrain is rugged. This type is of particular conservation interest, although the 

extent is limited and the species are commonly found on other montane areas in southern Africa. 

Medium-altitude Forest 

This vegetation type probably comprises the majority of the area on the mountain above 800 m 

altitude, although there is very little forest on the side visited below about 1000 m. Unfortunately, 

only the forests of the southern slopes from 1000–1200 m were adequately explored, hence medium 

altitude forests on other parts of Mt Chiperone may differ from the description below. The 

approximate extent is 1300 ha, most of it on steep slopes with very few gaps or breaks. Tree heights 

can reach 40–50 m in gullies and other favourable localities, but generally trees are 20–30 m high. 

Canopy height decreases with increasing altitude and on more shallow soils. The stocking rate of 

large diameter trees is lower than in some other regional medium altitude forests. 

The main tree species are Newtonia buchananii (particularly prominent on ridges), Strombosia 

scheffleri (with purplish flaking bark), the thinner-stemmed Rinorea convallarioides, fluted trunks 

of Chrysophyllum gorungosanum and scattered large individuals of Khaya anthotheca, some of 

them quite magnificent. There are very few emergents. Large strangling Ficus trees are few and 

scattered throughout. Other common trees include Rothmannia urcelliformis, Drypetes gerrardii 

and Myrianthuis holstii, while somewhat smaller or sub-canopy trees include the large-leaved 

Funtumia africana, Rawsonia inermis, Rinorea ferruginea, Garcinia kingaensis, G. volkensii, 

Trilepisium madagascariense and Pleiocarpa pycnantha. The understorey vegetation is not thick 

and is characterised by Dracaena fragrans and Pseuderanthemum subviscosum, along with 

scattered forest grasses and the scrambling Behnia reticulata. There are a lot of young regenerating 

plants and seedlings of Chrysophyllum and Rinorea convallarioides. Lianas such as Agelaea 

pentagyna are not very common. 

Where the forest adjoins woodland or land cleared for agriculture, typical forest edge species are 

Albizia cf. gummifera, Macaranga capensis and Trema orientalis, with large individuals of 

Englerophytum magalismontanum and Parinari excelsa on the ridges. 

The three main features of conservation interest are (i) the extensive area of forest found, (ii) the 

uninterrupted altitudinal sequence it covers from 1000 to 2000 m, and (iii) the relatively intact and 

undisturbed nature of the forest. There has been some minor tree-felling close to the forest margins, 

but the biggest threat is uncontrolled fire from field clearance eating into the forest, especially in the 

gullies. There is evidence of such fires severely damaging or destroying even large forest trees up to 

50 m from the margins, with an associated loss of humus from the forest floor and destruction of the 

low shrub and herbaceous layers. Once this happens, a number of forest gap or edge species such as 

Trema and Albizia establish themselves inside the forest along with a thick herbaceous 

undergrowth, which can inhibit regeneration of forest trees through excessive competition. 

Miombo and Similar Woodland Types 

Miombo woodland is seasonally-deciduous with canopy cover ranging from 20–80% comprising 

trees of Brachystegia and/or Julbernardia, and with a well-developed grass layer underneath. On 

Mt Chiperone such woodland is mainly characterised by various Brachystegia species, but there are 

also some areas without Brachystegia but with other miombo-associated species. 

The woodlands studied were at an altitude of 600–1100 m on the southern and south-eastern flanks. 

At lower altitudes woodlands have often been cut and/or frequently burnt, but were in a better 

condition at altitudes above 900 m. At 600–800 m woodland covered the slopes of ridges as well as 

the ridge-tops, with the less steep land having been cleared for cultivation, while at higher altitudes


woodland was mostly confined to the shallow soil ridges, sometimes almost surrounded by moist 

forest. Various woodland types were noted. Most ridges were dominated by Brachystegia 

spiciformis, whilst others supported B. utilis or B. tamarindoides subsp. microphylla (= B. 

glaucescens), while one ridge at 1200 m had an open woodland of Acacia abyssinica. Brachystegia 

boehmii and some typical miombo species (e.g. Schrebera trichoclada, Securidaca 

longepedunculata, Ozoroa reticulata, Elephantorrhiza goetzei) were only found at an altitude of 

650 m or below. 

The small extent of 5–10 m high Acacia abyssinica woodland was unusual and seemed to be 

confined to just one ridge. Associated species included the fern Pteridium aquilinum, a scrambling 

Rubus sp. and with Trema orientalis at the forest/woodland boundary. Of particular note was the 

high number of epiphytic ferns, orchids and lichens on the Acacia branches, while the root parasite 

Sarcophyte sanguinea subsp. piriei was very common and visible on the ground underneath. It was 

flowering extensively in late November, appearing above ground in blackish-red masses. 

Brachystegia spiciformis-dominated woodland with a 10–15 m high canopy also contained miombo 

species such as Bridelia micrantha, Combretum molle, Pericopsis angolensis, Pterocarpus 

angolensis, Erythrina abyssinica, Cussionia arborea, Uapaca kirkiana, Uapaca nitida, 

Psorospermum febrifugum, Parinari excelsa, Faurea saligna, and some typical forest edge species 

such as Harungana madagascariensis and Albizia gummifera. Epiphytic orchids and ferns were 

also very common on the branches. It does not appear as if these areas previously supported forest, 

at least over the last 50–100 years. 

Although most wooded ridges were dominated by B. spiciformis, others were somewhat drier or 

dominated by trees of Brachystegia utilis 8–10 m high, owing to more shallow, less moistureretentive 

soils. Associated species were Julbernardia globiflora, Uapaca kirkiana, Protea 

welwitschii, Pterocarpus angolensis and Monotes africana, with one patch of the fine-leaved 

Brachystegia tamarindoides subsp. microphylla. 

The upper reaches of gullies below the ridges mostly support regenerating woodland and/or forest 

with secondary species such as Trema orientalis, Macaranga capensis and Bridelia micrantha. 

These gullies may well have supported some type of forest previously, now destroyed by fire. 

Although interesting, such woodlands and the species comprising them are very widespread across 

this part of Africa. They have a useful role in forming part of the forest–woodland–shrubland 

vegetation mosaic on the mountain and acting as a buffer to the forest itself, and there are 

undoubtedly a number of plant, vertebrate and invertebrate species that on Chiperone are only 

found here. 

Disturbed Woodland and Fallows 

Most of this vegetation type was found below 900 m altitude and in the lower reaches of gullies 

between ridges. In most cases it is probable that it was previously (5–50 years ago) forest or forestedge 

vegetation, but has been destroyed by frequent fires and perhaps partial clearance. This type 

was not investigated or collected in any detail owing to its low conservation value and potential. 

In the gullies vegetation could be quite thick, making progress difficult. In more recent fallow it 

was more open, and a number of areas had been cleared within the last two years. Characteristic 

trees included Trema orientalis, Dombeya burgessiae, Bridelia cathartica, along with the plants of 

lower height such as Smilax anceps, Anonna senegalensis, Afromomum spp., Mucuna pruriens, 

clumps of bananas (Musa) and the bamboo Oxytenanthera abyssinica. The liana Entada rheedei 

with characteristic large woody pods was found in some places.


Lower down the slopes, at around 800 m and below, significant areas of bamboo (Oxytenanthera 

abyssinica) thicket were found. These appear to develop after clearance for cropping, particularly in 

gullies, and are tolerant of repeated fire. 

Also at lower altitudes (c.600 m) a riparian forest fringe can be found along larger watercourses. 

Although extensively cleared in places, remnant large trees still remain, including Treculia 

africana, Synsepalum (=Pachystela) brevipes, and Ficus species. 

Rocky Outcrops 

There were a few areas of bare, or almost bare, rock on the mountain, but only two or three were 

visited owing to access problems. From airphotos there appears to be a greater extent of such 

outcrops on the north and north-eastern part of the mountain. 

Surprisingly, even the rugged and narrow ridges have woody vegetation on them. Where rock is 

exposed over an area, vegetation consists of low shrubs, Aloe, and grasses/sedges, typical of such 

environments elsewhere. Through binoculars it appeared that some rock outcrops had been burnt. 

Further information is not available. 

5. BOTANY 

Plants were collected fairly extensively in the area around the main Forest Camp on the southern 

flanks of Mt Chiperone (Figure 1 shows collecting points) and along the track to the village below. 

More limited collecting was done above Marega village on the eastern side. In addition, plant 

specimens were collected from the summit ridge at altitudes of 1500 and above, which proved to be 

most interesting as vegetation composition appears to change above 1600–1800 m. 

Most specimens were collected with notes on locality and habit. Unfortunately, time did not allow 

for good notes to be recorded from collections on the summit ridge. Labelled specimens are 

deposited at the LMA Herbarium at IIAM in Maputo and at the Kew Herbarium in London. A 

partial third set is deposited in Zomba (MAL). A total of over 400 numbered and unnumbered 

specimens were recorded. 

A species list compiled from both specimens and confirmed field sightings is given as Annex 2. The 

great majority of records are from above 800 m altitude, although some woodland species from 

below this altitude are included. Of the 229 taxa listed, 145 are woody plants (trees, shrubs, lianas). 

A number of species (around 15) are not listed in the Sabonet Mozambique plant checklist (Da 

Silva, Izidine & Amude 2004). However, this checklist is incomplete and only represents 

collections in the National Herbarium in Maputo. When citations from families published in the 

Flora Zambesiaca are incorporated, virtually all taxa are recorded from Mozambique, the great 

majority being recorded from the Z, MS or N divisions. However, there may be some new taxa for 

Mozambique in as yet unpublished family treatments. It should also be noted that northern 

Mozambique is known to be poorly and patchily collected, part of the justification for the present 

study. 

Species or points of particular notes include: 

Widdringtonia whytei — although common on Mt Mulanje, this tree was not seen on Chiperone.


Aloe arborescens (Aloaceae) – thicket-forming stem Aloe on rock outcrops at higher altitudes and 

on the peak. Very local here, but common on Mt Mulanje. 

Cyperus amauropus (Cyperaceae) — first record for Mozambique. 

Dracaena fragrans (Dracaenaceae) — first record for Mozambique Z. 

Pollia condensata (Commelinaceae) – common forest undergrowth herb. First record of the genus 

from the FZ area. 

Abrus melanospermus (Fabaceae: Papilionoideae) — first record for Mozambique. 

Coffea mufindensis (Rubiaceae) — regarded as Vulnerable in the Mozambique Red Data List. 

Crassula swaziensis (Crassulaceae) — this species has a number of varieties, one of which is 

apparently confined to the Namuli massif in N Mozambique. Material was insufficient for further 

determination, but this collection may well extend the known range of what was considered a 

Namuli endemic. 

Plectranthus kapatensis (Lamiaceae) — first record for Mozambique Z. 

Strychnos sp. (Loganiaceae) – a forest liana not possible to match at Kew; a potentially interesting 

taxon. 

Three species of Rinorea were found in the forest (R. convallarioides, R. ferruginea, R. angustifolia 

subsp. ardisiiflora) compared to only one (Strugnell 2006) or two (White, Dowsett-Lemaire & 

Chapman 2001) recorded from the more extensive forests on Mt Mulanje. It is not known why this 

should be. R. convallarioides is common at around 1000–1200 m, while R. angustifolia appears to 

be more common at altitudes above 1600 m. Rinorea is primarily a genus of smaller trees from 

coastal or lowland forests, which may suggest Chiperone has more lowland or coastal influence 

than Mt Mulanje. This lowland and 'East African coastal' influence can also be seen in the presence 

of Funtumia africana and Englerophyum natalense and Aporrhiza paniculata, and, on the lower 

slopes, Treculia africana and Synsepalum brevipes. In Zimbabwe, all Rinorea species are 

considered Critically Endangered as they are only found in small remnant patches of low-altitude 

forest. 

The only recorded species from Chiperone in a formal threat category (Vulnerable, Endangered or 

Critically Endangered) for Mozambique in the Sabonet Red Data List (Izidine & Bandiera 2002) is 

Coffea mufindensis. However, some species found are considered threatened in Zimbabwe as they 

are low altitude forest species there confined to small remnant forest parches along the Haroni and 

Rusitu rivers, but are more widespread in adjacent parts of Mozambique. 

6. ZOOLOGY 

Despite the close proximity and accessibility of Mt Chiperone to Mt Mulanje in Malawi 

considerably less biological work has been undertaken into the biodiversity of this area compared to 

the large volume of work undertaken on Mt Mulanje. There have been two previous visits to assess 

aspects of the biology of the area. The first was by Mr Jali Makawa, a bird collector for C.W. 

Benson, who made a 6-day collecting expedition in 1950 to Mt Chiperone as part of a wider birding 

survey of montane areas in Zambézia province (Benson 1950). Since then the only documented


visit was made in November 2005 by Claire Spottiswoode, Hassam Patel, Eric Herrmann and Julian 

Bayliss in preparation for this current Darwin expedition. During this latter trip the threatened 

avifauna was assessed and some plants collected. There are unconfirmed reports of an earlier visit 

(around 2002) by the American Field Museum of Natural History to collect birds and small 

mammals, but no results are available. 

Findings from the present expedition show that generally the moist forest area was relatively 

undisturbed with no evidence of logging. However, there was much evidence of man-made fires on 

ridges, possibly as a result of preparation for small scale cultivation. The forest area above 1000 m 

is hunted with the main method being gin trapping. The main animals hunted are Bushbuck 

Tragelaphus scriptus, Bushpig Potamochoerus larvatus, and a duiker Cephalophus spp. Gin traps 

are apparently commonly available in local markets. The Leopard Panthera pardus is reputed to be 

common throughout the forest. Of particular note was the mention on several occasions of the 

presence of Buffalo Syncerus caffer on the northwestern side of Mt Chiperone. The forest is also 

utilised for honey collecting. 

A relatively high incidence of calling bushbabies was recorded from around the main forest camp at 

c.1000 m. The calls sounded similar to those of the Lesser Bushbaby that occurs on Mt Mulanje, 

which has been identified as Galago grantii. This would merit further investigation. 

This study found two endemic species previously only known to occur on Mt Mulanje in Malawi, 

60 km to the north, one lizard and one butterfly. This is not wholly surprising as the distance is 

relatively small, but such records represent important new discoveries for Mozambique. 

Local Hunter Records 

One of the forest guides employed on the expedition also utilised the area for hunting. Employing 

local hunters as forest guides is a good practice as they are often the most knowledgeable people on 

the area and know where various ground traps have been set, traps that can severely injure humans. 

Table 2. Mammals recorded as being found on Mt Chiperone. 

Common Scientific name 

Local name Notes 

Name 

(in Khokhola) 

Bushpig Potamochoerus larvatus Nguluwe 

Blue Monkey Cercopithecus mitis Nchimwe 

Vervet Monkey Cercopithecus aethiops Nakahmwa Black face. Woodland 

Baboon Papio cynocephalus Nyani Woodland 

Duiker Cephalophus spp Nazoro Black body, reddish head 

Rock Hyrax Procavia capensis Mbila 

Bush baby Galago granti? Nchanga 

Bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus Nanse 

Porcupine Hystrix africaeaustralis Nansununga Forest and woodland 

"Big Rat" ? Ncheza White and black spots, small tail twice 

length of back leg 

Black Rat Rattus rattus? Nyenga Same size as Ncheza but with 30 cm tail 

Mole Rat Nafoko Brown/grey back, white belly. No tail. 

Woodland. Lives underground 

Zorilla Ictonyx striatus Rat-like teeth, round small ears 

The most common form of trapping in Mt Chiperone is 'gin-trapping' (also know as Bear Traps in 

the western world), not snares or the setting of fires to flush animals into traps as is the case on Mt 

Mulanje. A local hunter and guide, Besta, was interviewed on the animals present in the forest and 

which were commonly hunted by the local population. His responses are given in Table 2.


Small Mammals 

Small mammal species were also opportunistically collected. Such studies largely centred around 

the mist netting of bats. Although time was very limited, several species were caught (Table 3). The 

capture of Miniopterus inflatus represents an important new record for the region. As can be seen 

from the distribution map (Figure 5) it has a very restricted range and is only known from a few 

localities. It was previously unknown from Mozambique and was only recently caught at Mt 

Gorongosa (Ara Monadjem, pers. comm.), about 300 km south of Chiperone. The Chiperone record 

is only the second for the country. 

Table 3. Small mammals collected from Mt Chiperone (identified by 

Peter Taylor, Durban Natural History Museum). 

Species Sex Comments 

Miniopterus inflatus F *Greatest skull length (CIL=16.0) 

Myotis tricolor F *CIL. 6 molars top and bottom 

Myotis tricolor F *CIL. 6 molars top and bottom 

Praomys delectorum 

Figure 5. Known records for Miniopterus inflatus in Southern Africa (Peter Taylor, 2007). 

Birds 

The avifauna of northern Mozambique is very poorly known, and many montane areas are still 

largely unexplored for birds except from single collecting expeditions between 1932 and 1950 (e.g. 

Vincent 1933a, 1933b, 1934). Consequently there have been repeated calls for further descriptive 

information on the extent, conservation status and avifauna of the evergreen forests of this region 

(Collar & Stuart 1988, Stattersfield et al. 1998, Parker 2001), with particular focus on the status of 

the rapidly declining Thyolo Alethe Alethe choloensis (BirdLife International 2006). 

Mt Chiperone was visited 15–18 December 2005 by Claire Spottiswoode, Hassam Patel, Eric 

Herrmann and Julian Bayliss in preparation for this expedition in November 2006 (Spottiswoode et 

al. 2007, in press). Bird species were detected by sightings, with cassette and minidisc recordings 

sometimes subsequently used for playback, and by mist-netting. Mist-nets were opened for a total 

of 56 net-hours. To investigate the forest areas a camp was made at 1050 m; the highest altitude 

reached was 1260 m. Incidental observations were also made while hiking through mixed


woodlands and cultivation at lower altitudes (500–1000 m). The resulting checklist is given in 

Annex 3. 

According to Spottiswoode (pers. comm.) the two globally threatened species collected by Makawa 

in 1950 were both found in 2005. A territorial pair of Thyolo Alethe Alethe choloensis 

(Endangered) were seen and tape-recorded in ridge forest at altitude 1200 m (16°30'12"S, 

35°43'50"E), and a pair of White-winged Apalis Apalis chariessae (Vulnerable) were seen in a 

forest clearing at altitude 1120 m (16°30'20"S, 35°43'50"E). 

Further to these findings a considerable range extension was represented by the numerous 

individuals of Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon Columba delegorguei, heard constantly at 1100–1200 

m and seen pursuing territorial chases. This is the only record between Zimbabwe's Eastern 

Highlands and central Tanzania, other than the handful of records from Thyolo Mountain in Malawi 

(Dowsett-Lemaire & Dowsett 2006), where it is now likely to be extinct in view of virtual complete 

deforestation of this area. The fact that Makawa did not find this species in 1950 is not surprising. 

He visited the area in the non-breeding season (July) when this species, if not calling, would have 

been very inconspicuous (Benson & Irwin 1966). 

In addition to these montane species, other species typical of forest margins, miombo and mixed 

woodland and Pennisetum grassland habitats were recorded, such as the Olive-headed Weaver 

Ploceus oliveiceps and Cabanis' Bunting Emberiza cabanisi (miombo), and Marsh Tchagra Tchagra 

minuta and Singing Cisticola Cisticola cantans (grassland). 

Occurrence of globally threatened, biome-restricted, and/or range-restricted species were noted. 

Table 4 shows globally threatened species in bold type, along with their 2005 threat status. Biome 

and Endemic Bird Area (EBA) membership for biome-restricted and range-restricted species 

(Fishpool & Evans 2001) is indicated by the following: A07 Afrotropical Highlands Biome; A09 

East African Coast Biome; A10 Zambesian Biome; 105: Tanzania-Malawi Mountains EBA. 

Records for Mt Chiperone from 1950 are from Benson (1950). 

Table 4. Globally threatened, biome-restricted, and/or range-restricted bird species from 

Mt Chiperone (from Spottiswoode et al., in press). 

Species Biome EBA Chiperone 

1950 

Chiperone 

2005 

Bar-tailed Trogon Apoloderma vittatum A07 x 

Grey Cuckooshrike Coracina caesia A07 x 

Striped-cheeked Greenbul Andropadus milanjensis A07 x 

Orange Ground-thrush Zoothera gurneyi A07 x 

Thyolo Alethe Alethe choloensis EN A07 105 x x 

White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata A07 x 

East Coast Akalat Sheppardia gunningi VU A09 

Olive-flanked Robin-chat Cossypha anomala A07 x 

White-winged Apalis Apalis chariessa VU A09 105 x x 

Yellow-throated Warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla A07 x x 

White-tailed Crested Flycatcher Elminia albonotatus A07 x 

Green-headed Oriole Oriolus chlorocephalus A09 x x 

Eastern Double-collared Sunbird Nectarinia mediocris A07 x 

East African Citril Serinus hypostictus A07 x 

Red-faced Crimson-wing Cryptospiza reichenovii A07 x 

Swee Waxbill Estrilda melanotis A07 x 

Bertram’s Weaver Ploceus bertrandi A07 x 

Olive-headed Weaver Ploceus olivaceiceps A10 x


Reptiles and Amphibians 

Reptiles and amphibians were collected opportunistically but non-intensively during the expedition. 

Only a few records have been collated for Mt Chiperone, but which contain some notable and 

interesting results (Table 5). 

Of particular note was the observation record of the Gaboon Viper (Bitis gabonica), seen on the 

forest margin on 25 November 2006. It is the first record of this species from Mt Chiperone and the 

first record from this region of Mozambique since 1950. The earliest record from northern 

Mozambique, and apparently the only voucher specimen from this half of the country (Don 

Broadley, pers. comm. 2007), is from Wilhelm Peters in 1846 (published in Reise nach 

Mossambique: 146, as Bitis rhinoceros) from Prazo Boror (c.100–200 m altitude), just south of 

Morrumbala Mountain and about 140 km SE of Mt Chiperone. The Gaboon Viper has not been 

recorded from nearby Mt Mulanje, despite the presence of apparently suitable habitat. In Malawi it 

has only been ever recorded from the Mzuzu–Nkhata Bay area at 500–600 m altitude, almost 600 

km away (Don Broadley, pers. comm.). 

Table 5. Reptiles recorded from Mt Chiperone. 

Lizards (Order Lacertilia) 

Gekkonidae 

King Dwarf Day Gecko 

Chamaeleonidae 

Pygmy Chameleon 

Snakes (Order Serpentes) 

Typhlopidae 

Blunt Blind Snake 

Colubridae 

Mulanje Water Snake 

Mozambique Twig Snake 

Viperidae 

Gaboon Viper 

Frogs (Order Anura) 

Arthroleptidae 

Dwarf Squeaker 

Lygodactylus rex 

Rhampholeon champmanorum 

Letheobia obtusus 

Lycodonomorphus mlanjensis 

Thelotornis mossambicanus 

Bitis gabonica 

Arthroleptis xenodactyloides 

Another notable record was the capture of the gecko Lygodactylus rex. This species has only 

recently been discovered on Mt Mulanje in Malawi, to which it was previously thought to be 

endemic. Its discovery on Mt Chiperone is the first record for Mozambique (Bill Branch, pers. 

comm.). 

Lepidoptera 

The Lepidoptera of Mt Chiperone were opportunistically collected over the course of the expedition 

by Julian Bayliss. The majority of specimens were collected with a 4-fold hand net or (for the 

Charaxinae and certain Satyridae) through baited aerial traps using fermenting bananas. 

A total of 56 butterfly species were collected and were sent to the African Butterfly Research 

Institute (ABRI) in Nairobi, Kenya for formal identification. ABRI is the recognized institute where 

the main African butterfly reference collection is stored. There appear to be no previous records of 

Lepidoptera from Mt Chiperone, and therefore the list in Table 6 presents the first records from this 

site.


The range of butterflies typically represents a wet forest, forest edge and miombo woodland 

collection. Of particular note was the capture of Cymothoe melanjae (an endemic previously only 

known from Mt Mulanje), Eurema senegalensis, Eurema floricola, Bicyclus vansoni, Anthene 

lunube and Platylesches vasta. These are the first records of these species from Mozambique (Steve 

Collins, pers. comm.). 

Table 6. List of butterflies collected from Mt Chiperone (Nov/Dec 2006), identified by 

J. Bayliss and S. Collins (ABRI). 

Family/subfamily Species/authority 

Hesperiidae 

Hesperiinae Acada bieriatus Mabille 1893 

Hesperiinae Platylesches rasta Holland 1896 

Pyrginae Eagris sabadius Lathy 1901 

Pyrginae Tagiades flesus Fabricius 1781 

Lycaenidae 

Lipteninae Alaena amazoula Hawker Smith 1933 

Lipteninae Teriomima puella Kirby 1887 

Polyommatinae Anthene barnesi Stevenson 1940 

Polyommatinae Anthene lunulata Doubleday 1847? 

Polyommatinae Euchrysops malathana Boisduval 1833 

Polyommatinae Leptotes pirithous Linnaeus 1767 

Theclinae Axiocerces sp. 

Nymphalidae 

Acraeinae Acraea acrita Hewitson 1865 

Acraeinae Acraea calderena Hewitson 1877 

Acraeinae Acraea egina areca Cramer 1775 

Acraeinae Acraea johnstoni Godman 1855 

Acraeinae Acraea natalica Boisduval 1847 

Acraeinae Acraea oncaea Hopffer 1855 

Acraeinae Acraea zetes Linnaeus 1758 

Argynninae Lachnoptera ayresii Trimen 1879 

Biblidinae Eurytela hiarbas Rothschild & Jordan 1903 

Charaxinae Charaxes brutus natalensis Staudinger & Schatz 1886 

Charaxinae Charaxes candiope Godart 1824 

Charaxinae Charaxes cithaeron nyassae van Someren 1964 

Charaxinae Charaxes protoclea azota Hewitson 1877 

Charaxinae Charaxes pollus geminus Rothschild & Jordan 1900 

Charaxinae Charaxes violetta melloni Fox 1963 

Charaxinae Euxanthe wakefieldi Ward 1873 

Danainae Amauris niavius dominicanus Trimen 1879 

Limenitinae Cymothoe melanjae Bethune-Baker 1926 

Limenitinae Neptis alta Overlaet 1955 

Limenitinae Neptis saclava Hopffer 1855 

Limenitinae Neptis swynnertoni neavi Trimen 1912 

Nymphalinae Junonia artaxia Hewitson 1864 

Nymphalinae Junonia natalensis Felder & Felder 1860 

Nymphalinae Antanartia schaenia dutia Howarth 1966 

Nymphalinae Precis antilope Feisthamel 1850 

Nymphalinae Precis tugela Trimen 1879 

Nymphalinae Salamis parhassus Drury 1782 

Papilionidae 

Papilioninae Graphium angolanus Goeze 1779


Papilioninae Graphium policenes Cramer 1775 

Papilioninae Papilio dardanus tibullus Kirby 1880 

Papilioninae Papilio echeriodes shirensis Hancock 1987 

Papilioninae Papilio nireus Doubleday 1845 

Pieridae 

Coliadinae Catopsilia florella Fabricius 1775 

Coliadinae Eurema floricola Boisduval 1883 

Coliadinae Eurema regularis Butler 1876 

Coliadinae Eurema senegalensis Boisduval 1836 

Pierinae Appias sabina phoebe Butler 1901 

Pierinae Mylothris sagalla Butler 1896 

Pierinae Nepheronia thalassine de Boisduval 1836 

Satyridae 

Satyrinae Bicyclus safitza Westwood 1850 

Satyrinae Bicyclus vansoni Condamin 1965 

Satyrinae Gnophodes betsimena diversa Butler 1880 

Satyrinae Henotesia (Heteropsis) perspicua Trimen 1873 

Satyrinae Melanitis leda Westwood 1851 

Satyrinae Melanitis libia Distant 1882 

Several day-flying moths were also captured and most await identification. The capture of the 

geometrid moth Cartaletis nigricosta is an indicator of much wetter forest. It was originally 

described from Mt Mulanje which was the only known locality until specimens were collected from 

Mt Rungwe (Tanzania) and now Mt Chiperone (Herman Staude, pers. comm.). Larvae of a moth 

attacking Khaya seedlings, probably Hypsipyla robusta, were later found hatching from seeds 

collected on the lower slopes of Mt Chiperone (T. Alves, pers. comm.). 

Coleoptera and Hemiptera 

The following are some preliminary identifications by Cornell Dudley of Coleoptera (beetles), 

Hemiptera (bugs) and Diptera (flies) collected during the expedition to Mt Chiperone. 

Coleoptera: Cetoniidae 

Amaurodes passerinii Westwood common 

Rhabdotis aulica Fabricius 

very common 

Diplognatha silicea MacLeay 

very common 

Plaesiorrhina mohondana Oberthür uncommon 

Stethopseudinca maculatus Valak Lucassen rare, previously only known from Mt Mulanje 

Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae-Coprinae 

Diostellopalpus neavei d'Orbigny common, but previously only known from Mulanje 

Coleoptera: Rutelidae 

Anomala sp. 

large difficult genus 

Coleoptera: Cerambycidae-Lamiinae 

Tragocephala pretiosa Hintz 

rare 

Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae-Cassidinae 

Aspidomorpha sp. 

common, but unable to identify 

Hemiptera-Homoptera: Cicadidae 

Ioba leopardina (Distant) 

very common 

?Taipinga sp. 

uncommon in collections, genus unsure 

Diptera: Tabanidae 

Tabanus sp. 

Common large genus; species unlikely to be new.

7. THREATS AND CONSERVATION ISSUES 


Mt Chiperone is under no form of formal conservation and has no specific status. However, the 

forest and its wildlife should be protected under the Forest and Wildlife Act (Lei No. 10/99 of 

1999). The Environmental Act (Lei No. 20/97 of 1997) prohibits cultivation of annual crops on 

slopes greater than 7 o and perennial crops on slopes greater than 14 o , which many of Chiperone's 

slopes exceed. 

Both Mount Namuli and Chiperone are recognised as Important Bird Areas (MZ 009 and MZ 010 

respectively) by Parker (2001). A brief description of the area is given there along with a list of the 

forest bird species of interest – Alethe choloensis, Apalis chariessa (only known site in 

Mozambique), and the woodland species Nectarinia shelleyi. The conservation status of these bird 

species is fundamentally determined by the extent and condition of the forest habitat. 

At the base of the southern and eastern flanks, there are a few villages with a population around 

1000–2000 people. However, there is no clean water supply other than the small streams coming off 

the mountain. The nearest wells or boreholes are some kilometres away. From an interview with 

Chief Sapande Marega at Marega locality on the eastern slopes of Mt Chiperone it appears that the 

forests on the upper slopes have little perceived value to the local population. The only persons 

going there are bushmeat hunters, a small select group. Even traditional medicinal practitioners tend 

to collect medicinal plants from the disturbed and woodland areas lower down. 

During the course of this interview, the Chief mentioned that there was said to be "tea" plants 

growing on the lower northern slopes of the mountain, but it is likely this does not refer to the tea of 

commerce. There has been minimal extraction of timber from the forests, only from the woodlands 

around where Pterocarpus angolensis, Lonchocarpus capassa and Pericopsis angolensis have been 

harvested on a small-scale. 

Interestingly, he also pointed out that people clear shambas (small fields) and grow maize and beans 

on the steep slopes with shallow rocky soils because in bad rainfall years these fields ensure at least 

a small harvest. In good rainfall years, fields below the mountain have a much higher production, 

but in times of drought fields on the mountain slopes provide some food. This is probably related to 

incoming moist air and reduced evapotranspiration on the middle slopes compared to the hot dry 

plains. 

In Malawi, folk history links Mt Chiperone with Mt Mulanje through the advent of the 'chiperone' 

weather front that appears to start on Chiperone and move across into Malawi. This misty weather 

is important for the tea plantations as it brings moisture during the dry season. A good case can be 

made for linking conservation of the two mountains in a form of transfrontier initiative. In both 

cases the key issue is moisture and water, which relies on forest cover for its generation and 

continued supply. 

The suggestion for transfrontier cooperation has already been discussed between the Mulanje 

Mountain Conservation Trust in Malawi and the District Administrator of Milange District in 

Mozambique. The District Administrator has expressed great interest in getting technical 

cooperation and assistance for forest conservation and control of natural resource degradation in his 

area. It is intended to discuss the issue further with the Provincial Governor and provincial 

authorities in Quelimane during 2007.

8. RECOMMENDATIONS 


From a conservation perspective, although Mt Chiperone has threats to its habitats and biodiversity, 

these are generalised, and not specific at any particular species or habitat. The threats to the forest 

above 1000 m appear to be primarily from: (a) encroachment by clearance for cultivation (localised, 

but are a particular concern on the southern and eastern slopes, and (b) from wild fires eating into 

the forest margin, particularly in gullies. The following specific conservation recommendations are 

therefore given: 

• Conserve the remaining areas of moist forest, especially those above the 1000 m contour. Stop 

wherever possible any clearance of vegetation above this line, or perhaps even as low as 900 m. 

• Control wildfires along the margins of moist forest. Fires resulting from bush clearance on steep 

slopes, especially gullies, burn up into the forest and destroy younger trees and the regenerating 

layer. Subsequently, soils do not appear to retain as much moisture, and the areas are invaded by 

secondary or forest margin species. 

• Transfrontier cooperation and conservation initiatives with MMCT and others in Malawi should 

be actively encouraged. Issues of forest conservation should be linked in to water supply and 

rainfall. This could be initiated through a meeting with the Governor of Zambézia Province. 

• A meeting should be arranged between the Provincial Director of Agriculture, the Milange 

District Administrator, MMCT and provincial representatives of IIAM, to determine how 

conservation of Mt Chiperone and the improvement of agricultural practices could best be 

tackled. 

• Experience of catastrophic landslips on Mt Tumbine above Milange town owing to deforestation, 

should be used as an illustration of what unregulated forest destruction can do. 

Research Issues 

• Investigate why woodlands and forests of western and northern slopes, which appear more 

intact although perhaps drier, are more intact than those on southern and eastern slopes. 

• Determine what the altitudinal transition point of medium and higher altitude forest types is, 

and whether this transition is similar on all sides of the mountain. 

• Further botanical and ornithological survey work is required on moist forest areas on the northwestern 

and eastern slopes of the mountain. Further collecting is also needed in the areas of 

shrubland and rocky outcrops, both of which are likely to support some interesting species and 

outlying populations. 

9. CONCLUSIONS 

Mt Chiperone is a steep-sided montane massif that is relatively undisturbed above c. 1000 m 

altitude up to the summit at just over 2000 m. Owing to its conical shape, the area above 1800 m is 

quite small. The wooded slopes, many of which have been cleared for agriculture on the southern 

and eastern sides, give way to moist forest at around 1000 m altitude on the steeper slopes up to the 

summit. The forest is well-developed, is around 1700 ha in extent (estimates from 1635 to 1720),


and has an uninterrupted altitudinal sequence from medium altitude to high altitude. This feature is 

increasingly rare to find on montane massifs in the region owing to encroachment on lower slopes. 

The exposed summit ridge supports a fynbos-type scrub vegetation of very limited extent, and small 

patches of miombo-type woodlands are found on the ridges from 800–1200 m. 

Owing to difficulties with access, the study was primarily confined to the southern and eastern 

slopes up to 1200 m. It is possible that findings may differ significantly on the northern slopes, and 

conservation conclusions should be interpreted accordingly. 

The plant species found are mostly fairly widespread across other Eastern African mountains from 

South Africa through Zimbabwe and Mozambique to Malawi and Tanzania. Although a few new 

records for N Mozambique were recorded, no threatened species or species of particular interest or 

concern were noted. 

Mt Chiperone supports perhaps the largest known population of the Thyolo Alethe, a threatened 

bird species, which is under increasing threat in Malawi owing to forest destruction. A number of 

interesting new records for birds, small mammals, reptiles and butterflies were also noted, making 

the mountain of particular conservation interest and concern for Mozambique. 

10. REFERENCES 

Barbosa, L.A.G. (1952). Esboço da Vegetação da Zambézia. Separate from Documentário 

Moçambique No. 69. Centro de Investigação Científica Algodoeira, Lourenço Marques. 

Bayliss, J. (2006). Trip Report, Mount Chiperone Expedition, 22 November–5 December 2006. 

MMCT, Mulanje. 

Benson, C.W. (1950). A collection from Chiperoni Mountain, Portuguese East Africa. Bulletin 

British Ornithological Club 70: 51. 

Chapman, J.D. & White, F. (1970). The Evergreen Forests of Malawi. Commonwealth Forestry 

Institute, Oxford. 

Collar, N.J. & Stuart, S.N. (1985). Threatened Birds of Africa and Related Islands. International 

Council for Bird Preservation, Cambridge. 

Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of 

Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No.30. SABONET, 

Pretoria. 

Dixey, F. (1927). The Mlanje Mountains of Nyasaland. Geographical Review 17: 61–626. 

Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). Ecological and biogeographical aspects of forest bird communities in 

Malawi. Scopus 13: 1–80. 

Eastwood, F. (1988). Guide to the Mulanje Massif (3rd edition). Lorton Communications, 

Johannesburg. 

Izidine, S. & Bandiera, S.O. (2002). Mozambique. In: Southern African Plant Red Data Lists 

(edited by J.S. Golding), pp. 43–60. SABONET, Pretoria.


Kassam, A.H., Van Velthuizen, H.T., Higgins, G.M., Christoforides, A., Voortman, R.L. & Spiers, 

B. (1981). Climatic data bank and length of growing period analysis. Field Document No. 33, 

Project MOZ/75/011, Assessment of Land Resources for Rainfed Crop Production in 

Mozambique. FAO, Rome. 

Parker, V. (2001). Mozambique. In: Important Bird Areas in Africa and Associated Islands: 

Priority sites for conservation (edited by L.D.C. Fishpool & M.I. Evans), pp. 627–638. Pisces 

Publications/BirdLife International, Newbury & Cambridge. 

Pedro, J.G. & Barbosa, L.A.G. (1955). A Vegetação. Esboço de Reconhecimento Ecólogica- 

Agricola de Moçambique. Centro de Investigação Científica Algodoeira, Lourenço Marques. 

Spottiswoode, C.N., Patel, I.H., Hermann, E., Timberlake, J.R. & Bayliss, J. (2006). Threatened 

bird species on two little-known mountains (Mabu and Chiperone) in northern Mozambique. 

Paper submitted to Ostrich for publication. 

Stattersfield, A.J., Crosby, M.J., Long A.J. & Wege, D.C. (1998). Endemic Bird Areas of the 

World: Priorities for biodiversity conservation, BirdLife International, Cambridge. 

Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A checklist of the spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi. Scripta 

Botanica Belgica 34. National Botanic Garden, Meise, Belgium. 

Vincent, J. (1933). The birds of Northern Portuguese East Africa. Comprising a list of, and 

observations on, the collections made during the British Museum Expedition of 1931–32. Part 

1. Ibis 13: 611–652. 

White, F. (1983). The Vegetation of Africa. Natural Resources Research No.20. UNESCO, Paris. 

White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen Forest Flora of Malawi. Royal 

Botanic Gardens Kew, London. 

Wild, H. & Barbosa, L.A.G. (1968). Vegetation map of the Flora Zambesiaca area., M.O. Collins, 

Harare. 

Suggested citation: Timberlake, J.R., Bayliss, J., Alves T., Baena, S., 

Francisco, J., Harris, T. & da Sousa, C. (2007). The Biodiversity and 

Conservation of Mount Chiperone, Mozambique. Report produced under 

the Darwin Initiative Award 15/036. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London. 

pp. 33.


ANNEX 1. Participants on Mt Chiperone expedition, Nov/Dec 2006 

Tereza Alves, Forestry Research Section, IIAM, Marracuene, Mozambique. 

Aurélio Constantino Banze, Plant Collector, National Herbarium, IIAM, Maputo, Mozambique. 

Julian Bayliss, Darwin Project Regional Coordinator, Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust, 

Mulanje, Malawi. 

Domingos de Azevedo Chiconeca, Pastures Section, Chobela Livestock Research Station, IIAM, 

Chobela, Mozambique. 

Jorge R. Francisco, GIS Unit, Land & Water Department, IIAM, Maputo, Mozambique. 

Tim Harris, Herbarium, RBG Kew, London, UK. 

Rogério Mauro da Costa Jamice, Station Manager, Madonge Forest Research Station, IIAM, 

Chimoio, Mozambique. 

Ivete Frederico Maluleque, Forestry Technician, Regional Research Station, IIAM, Nampula, 

Mozambique. 

Celestino Moises, Driver, IIAM, Chimoio, Mozambique. 

Steven Mphamba, Herbarium Assistant, Forestry Research Institute of Malawi, Zomba, Malawi. 

David Nangoma, Ecologist, Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust, Mulanje, Malawi. Email: 

Artur Olisse, Driver, IIAM, Maputo, Mozambique. 

Hassam Patel, Botanist, Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust, Mulanje, Malawi. 

Camila de Sousa, Forestry Research Section, IIAM, Marracuene, Mozambique. 

Christopher Tembo, Herbarium Assistant, National Herbarium & Botanic Gardens, Zomba, 

Malawi. 

Jonathan Timberlake, Project Coordinator, Herbarium, RBG Kew, London, UK.


ANNEX 2. Plant checklist from Mt Chiperone above 800 m. 

T - tree; S - shrub; t - small tree; cl - liana; h - herb; gr - grass; ps - parasite; ge - geophyte; 

su - succulent; ep – epiphytic 

MF-h - moist forest, high altitude; MF-m - moist forest, medium altitude; W - miombo woodland; 

D/F - heavily disturbed/fallow; Shrub - shrubland; R - riverine 

Family Species Alt. L/F Habitat Conf. Notes 

PTERIDOPHYTA 

Fern Asplenium anisophyllum Kunze 1000-1800 h MF-h √ 

Fern Asplenium dregeanum Kunze 1000 h MF-m √ 

Fern Asplenium sandersonii Hook. 1800 h MF-m/h √ 

Fern Marattia fraxinea Sm. 1000 h MF-m √ 

Fern Mohria lepigera (Baker) Baker 2000 h Shrub √ 

Fern Oleandra distenta Kunze 1800 ep W √ 

Fern Pellaea doniana Hook. 1000 h W √ 

Fern Polypodium polypodiodes (L.) Hitchcock subsp. ecklonii (Kunze) Schelpe 1000 ep W √ 

Pteridaceae Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn 1000 h W √ 

Fern Selaginella kraussiana (Kunze) A.Braun 1800 h MF-h √ 

MONOCOTYLEDONS 

Aloaceae Aloe arborescens Mill. 2000 su Shrub √ summit 

Aloaceae Aloe sp. 1000 su W miombo 

Amaryllidaceae Scadoxus multiflorus (Martyn) Raf. subsp. multiflorus 1000 ge D/F √ 

Araceae Culcasia falcifolia Engl. 1000 cl MF-m √ 

Araceae Gonatopus clavatus Mayo at 500m h D/F √ 

Asparagaceae Asparagus africanus Lam. var. africanus 1000 h W √ 

Asparagaceae Asparagus virgatus Baker 800 h D/F √ 

Behniaceae Behnia reticulata (Thunb.) Didr. 1000 cl MF-m √ 

Commelinaceae Commelina zambesica C.B.Clarke 1000 h MF-m √ 

Commelinaceae Murdannia simplex (Vahl) Brenan 1000 h W √ 

Commelinaceae Pollia condensata C.B.Clarke 1000 h MF-m √ new to FZ area 

Cyperaceae Cyperus cf. amauropus Steud. 1000 h W √ new to Moz 

Cyperaceae Cyperus hemisphaericus Boeck. 1000 h W √ 

Cyperaceae Cyperus pseudoleptocladus Kule 1800 h W √ 

Cyperaceae Cyperus sp. 1000 h W 

Cyperaceae Coleochloa cf. setigera (Ridl.) Gilly 2000 h Shrub √ 

Dracaenaceae Dracaena fragrans (L.) Ker Gawl. 1000 S MF-m √ new to Moz Z: 

Dracaenaceae Dracaena laxissima Engl. 1800 S MF-h √ 

Dracaenaceae Dracaena mannii Baker 1000 S MF-m √ 

Iridaceae Gladiolus sp. ge W 

Hyacinthaceae Drimia altissima (L.f.) Ker Gawl. 800 ge W √ 

Hyacinthaceae Ledebouria revoluta (L.f.) Jessop 1000 ge D/F √ 

Hypoxidaceae Hypoxis angustifolia Lam. 1000 h W √ 

Musaceae Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman 1000 S MF-m,W √ 

Orchidaceae Aerangis sp. 1000 ep W 

Poaceae Andropogon schirensis Hochst. 1000 gr W √ 

Poaceae Hyparrhenia sp. 1000 gr D/F 

Poaceae Leptaspis cochleata Thwaites 1000 gr MF-m √ 

Poaceae Oxytenanthera abyssinica (A.Rich.) Munro 1000 S D/F √ 

Poaceae Pennisetum purpureum Schumach. 1000 gr D/F √ 

Smilacaceae Smilax anceps Willd. 1000 cl D/F √ 

Zingiberaceae Afromomum albiflorum Lock 1000 ge W √ 

Zingiberaceae Siphonochilus aethiopicus (Schweinf.) B.L.Burtt 1000 ge W √ 

Zingiberaceae Siphonochilus kirkii (Hook.f.) B.L.Burtt 1000 ge W √ 

DICOTYLEDONS 

Acanthaceae Crossandra pyrophila Vollesen 1000 h D/F √ 

Acanthaceae Pseuderanthemum subviscosum (C.B.Clarke) Stapf 1000 S MF-m √ 

Acanthaceae Ruellia prostrata Poir. 850 h W √ 

Acanthaceae Thunbergia lancifolia T.Anders. 850 h W √ 

Amaranthaceae Achyranthes aspera L. var. pubescens (Moq.) Townsend 1000 h W √ 

Amaranthaceae Achyranthes aspera L. var. sicula L. 1000 h D/F √ 

Anacardiaceae Lannea discolor (Sond.) Engl. 1000 T W √



Anacardiaceae Ozoroa insignis Delile subsp. reticulata (Baker f.) Gillett at 500m t D/F √ 

Annonaceae Annona senegalensis Pers. 1000 t D/F √ 

Apiaceae 

Heteromorpha arborescens (Spreng.) Cham.& Schltd. 

1000 t W √ 

var. montana P.J.D.Winter 

Apiaceae Steganotaenia araliacea Hochst. 1000 t W, D/F √ 

Apocynaceae Carissa bispinosa (L.) Brenan subsp. zambesiensis Kupicha 1500 S W √ 

Apocynaceae Carvalhoa campanulata K.Schum. 1000 S MF-m √ 

Apocynaceae Diplorhynchus condylocarpon (Müll.Arg.) Pichon 1000 T W √ 

Apocynaceae Funtumia africana (Benth.) Stapf 1000 T MF-m √ 

Apocynaceae Landolphia sp. cl MF-m 

Apocynaceae Pleiocarpa pycnantha (K.Schum.) Stapf 1000 T/S MF-m √ 

Apocynaceae Rauvolfia caffra Sond. T MF-m √ 

Apocynaceae Tabernaemontana stapfiana Britten 1800 T MF-h √ 

Araliaceae Cussonia arborea A.Rich. 1000 T W, D/F √ 

Araliaceae Cussonia spicata Thunb. 1000 T W/F √ 

Araliaceae Polyscias fulva (Hiern) Harms 1000 T MF-m √ 

Araliaceae Schefflera goetzenii Harms 1800 T MF-h,W √ 

Asclepiadaceae Glossostelma carsonii (N.E.Br.) Bullock 1000 h W √ 

Asclepiadaceae Margaretta rosea Oliv. subsp. whytei (K.Schum.) Mwanyambo 700 h D/F √ 

Asteraceae Berkhaya zeyheri Oliv.& Hiern 1000 h W √ 

Asteraceae Conyza bonariensis (L.) Cronquist 1000 h D/F √ 

Asteraceae Gerbera viridifolia (DC.) Sch. 1000 h W √ 

Asteraceae Nidorella auriculata DC. 1000 h D/F √ 

Balanophoraceae Sarcophyte sanguinea Sparrm. subsp. sanguinea 1000 ps W √ 

Balsamaceae Impatiens walleriana Hook.f. 1000-1500 h MF-m √ 

Bignoniaceae Markhamia obtusifolia (Baker) Sprague 1000 t W √ 

Campanulaceae Wahlenbergia abyssinica (A.Rich.) Thulin subsp. abyssinica 1000 h D/F √ 

Cecropiaceae Myrianthus holstii Engl. 1000-1500 T MF-m √ 

Celastraceae Catha edulis (Vahl) Endl. 1000 T MF-m,W √ 

Celastraceae Maytenus acuminata (L.f.) Loes. var. acuminata 1800 t MF-h √ 

Celastraceae Maytenus undata (Thunb.) Blakelock 1800 t MF-h √ 

Chrysobalanaceae Parinari excelsa Sabine 1000 T W √ 

Clusiaceae Garcinia kingaensis Engl. 1000-1500 T MF-m/h √ 

Clusiaceae Garcinia volkensii Engl. 1000 T MF-m √ 

Clusiaceae Harungana madagascariensis Poir. 1000-1600 t MF-m √ 

Clusiaceae Psorospermum febrifugum Spach 1000 t W √ 

Combretaceae Combretum molle G.Don. 1000 t W, D/F √ 

Connaraceae Agelaea pentagyna (Lam.) Baill. 1500 cl MF-m √ 

Convolvulaceae Astripomoea malvacea (Klotzsch) Meeuse var. malvacea 1000 h W √ 

Crassulaceae Crassula swaziensis Schonl. 2000 su Shrub √ 

Cucurbitaceae Coccinea adoensis Cogn. 800 h W √ 

Cucurbitaceae Momordica foetida Schumach. 1000 h D/F √ 

Dipterocarpaceae Monotes africanus A.DC. 1000 T W √ 

Ebenaceae Diospyros abyssinica (Hiern) F.White subsp. attenuata F.White 1000-1800 T MF-m √ 

Ebenaceae Diospyros whyteana (Hiern) F.White 2000 t MF-h √ 

Ericaceae Erica cf. johnstoniana Britten 2000 S Shrub √ 

Erythroxylaceae Erythroxylum emarginatum Thonn. 1000-2000 t W √ 

Euphorbiaceae Acalypha villicaulis Hochst. 1000 h W √ 

Euphorbiaceae Acalypha welwitschiana Müll. 1800 S W √ 

Euphorbiaceae Antidesma membranaceum Müll. 1000 t W √ 

Euphorbiaceae Bridelia micrantha (Hochst.) Baill. 1000 T W,D/F √ 

Euphorbiaceae Croton sylvaticus Hochst. 1800 t MF-h √ 

Euphorbiaceae Drypetes gerrardii Hutch. var. grandifolia Radcl.-Sm. 1000-1800 T MF-mh √ 

Euphorbiaceae Drypetes sp. 1000 T MF-m unmatched 

Euphorbiaceae Erythrococca polyandra (Pax & K.Hoffm.) Prain 1000 t W, MF-m √ 

Euphorbiaceae Macaranga capensis (Baill.) Sim 1000 T MF-m √ 

Euphorbiaceae Margaritarea discoidea (Baill.) G.L.Webster var. nitida (Pax) Radcl.-Sm. 600 t D/F √ 

Euphorbiaceae Neoboutonia macrocalyx Pax 1000 t MF-m √ 

Euphorbiaceae Uapaca kirkiana Müll.Arg. 1000 T W √ 

Euphorbiaceae Uapaca nitida Müll.Arg. var. nitida 1000 t W √ 

Fab: Caesalpinioideae Brachystegia boehmii Taub. at 500m T W √ 

Fab: Caesalpinioideae Brachystegia spiciformis Benth. 1000 T W √ 

Fab: Caesalpinioideae Brachystegia tamarindoides Benth. subsp. microphylla (Harms) Chikuni 1000 T W √



Fab: Caesalpinioideae Brachystegia utilis Hutch.& Burtt Davy 1000 T W √ 

Fab: Caesalpinioideae Julbernardia globiflora (Benth.) Troupin 1000 T W √ 

Fab: Mimosoideae Acacia abyssinica Benth. 1200 T W √ 

Fab: Mimosoideae Acacia nilotica (L.) Delile subsp. kraussiana (Vatke) Brenan at 500m T D/F √ 

Fab: Mimosoideae Albizia adianthifolia (Schumach.) W.Wight 1000 T MF-m √ 

Fab: Mimosoideae Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight & Arn. subsp. africana Brenan & Brummitt 500m S W √ 

Fab: Mimosoideae Elephantorrhiza goetzei (Harms) Harms subsp. goetzei at 500m S D/F √ 

Fab: Mimosoideae Entada rheedei Spreng. 800 cl W √ 

Fab: Mimosoideae Newtonia buchananii (Baker) G.C.C.Gilbert & Boutique 1000 T MF-m √ 

Fab: Papilionioideae Abrus melanospermus Hassk. subsp. suffruticosus (Boutique) D.K.Harder 1000 h W √ new to Moz 

Fab: Papilionioideae Aeschynomene nyassana Taub. 1000 h W √ 

Fab: Papilionioideae Dalbergia nitidula Baker at 500m t W,D/F √ 

Fab: Papilionioideae Desmodium gangeticum (L.) DC. 800 h W √ 

Fab: Papilionioideae Dolichos kilimandscharicus Taub. subsp. kilimandscharicus 800 h D/F √ 

Fab: Papilionioideae Erythrina abyssinica DC. 1000 T W √ 

Fab: Papilionioideae Millettia stuhlmannii Taub. at 500m T W √ 

Fab: Papilionioideae Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. var. pruriens 1000 cl D/F √ 

Fab: Papilionioideae Pericopsis angolensis (Baker) Meeuwen 1000 T W √ 

Fab: Papilionioideae Pterocarpus angolensis DC. 1000 T W √ 

Flacourtiaceae Dovyalis macrocalyx (Oliv.) Warb. 1000-1800 S MF-h,W √ 

Flacourtiaceae Flacourtia indica (Burm.f.) Merr. 600 t W/D √ 

Flacourtiaceae Rawsonia lucida Harv.& Sond. 1000-1500 t MF-mh √ 

Gesneriaceae Streptocarpus cf. goetzei Engl. 1500 ep MF-h √ 

Lamiaceae Achryospermum laterale Baker 1500 h W √ 

Lamiaceae Leucas milanjiana Gürke 1000 h W,D/F √ 

Lamiaceae Ocimum obovatum Benth. subsp. obovatum 1000 h W √ 

Lamiaceae Plectranthus cf. hadiensis (Forssk.) E.A.Bruce 1000 h W √ 

Lamiaceae Plectranthus kapatensis (R.E.Fr.) J.K.Morton 1000 h W √ new to Moz Z: 

Lamiaceae Scutellaria schweinfurthii Briq. subsp. paucifolia (Baker) Paton 1000 h MF-m √ 

Lamiaceae Vitex cf. doniana Sweet 1000 t W √ 

Loganiaceae Anthocleista grandiflora Gilg 1000 T MF-m √ 

Loganiaceae Buddleja salviifolia (L.) Lam. 1800 t Shrub √ 

Loganiaceae Mostuea brunonis Didr. var. brunonis 1800 S MF-h √ new to Moz Z: 

Loganiaceae Nuxia floribunda Benth. 1500 t MF-m √ 

Loganiaceae Strychnos spinosa Lam. 1000 t W √ 

Loganiaceae Strychnos sp. - forest climber 1000 cl MF-m unmatched 

Loranthaceae Agelanthus subulatus (Engl.) Polhill & Wiens 1000 ep W √ 

Malvaceae Hibiscus fuscus Garcke 1000 h D/F √ 

Melastomataceae Dissotis sp. 1000 S D/F 

Melastomataceae Dissotis sp. 2000 S Shrub √ 

Meliaceae Ekebergia capensis Sparm. 1800 T MF-h √ 

Meliaceae Khaya anthotheca (Welw.) C.DC. 1000-1500 T MF-m √ 

Meliaceae Trichilia dregeana Sond. 1000 T MF-m √ 

Monimiaceae Xymalos monospora (Harv.) Warb. 1800 T MF-h √ 

Moraceae Ficus exasperata Vahl. 1000 T W √ 

Moraceae Ficus scassellatii Pamp. 1000 T MF-m √ 

Moraceae Ficus sp. - strangling 1000 T MF-m 

Moraceae Ficus sur Forssk. 1000 T W √ 

Moraceae Treculia africana Decne subsp. africana var. africana at 500 m T W √ 

Moraceae Trilepisium madagascariense DC. 1000 T MF-m √ 

Myricaceae Morella pilulifera (Rendle) Killick 1000 t W √ 

Myrsinaceae Maesa lanceolata Forssk. 1000 t W √ 

Myrsinaceae Myrsine africana L. 2000 S MF-h √ 

Myrsinaceae Rapanea melanophloeos (L.) Mez 1000 T W √ 

Myrtaceae Psidium guajava L. 1000 t D/F √ 

Myrtaceae Syzygium cordatum C.Krauss 1000 T W √ 

Myrtaceae Syzygium guineense (Willd.) DC. subsp. afromontanum F.White 1000-1800 T MF-mh √ 

Ochnaceae Ochna holstii Engl. 1800 t MF-h √ 

Ochnaceae Ochna cf. mossambicensis Klotzsch at 500m S D/F √ 

Olacaeae Strombosia scheffleri Engl. 1000-1600 T MF-m √ 

Olacaeae Ximenia caffra Sond. var. natalensis Sond. at 500m S W √ 

Oleaceae Olea capensis L. subsp. macrocarpa (C.H.Wright) I.Verd. 1600 T MF-h √ 

Oleaceae Schrebera trichoclada Welw. at 500 m t D/F √



Passifloraceae Adenia digitata (Harv.) Engl. 1000 h W √ 

Passifloraceae Adenia rumicifolia Engl.& Harms var. rumicifolia 1000 h MF-m √ 

Piperaceae Piper capensis L.f. 1000 S MF-m √ 

Polygalaceae Securidaca longepedunculata Fresen. at 500m T W √ 

Proteaceae Faurea saligna Harv. 1000 T W √ 

Proteaceae Protea welwitschii Engl. 1000 t W √ 

Rubiaceae Chassalia parvifolia K.Schum. 1000 S MF-m √ 

Rubiaceae Coffea mufindiensis Bridson subsp. australis Bridson 1000-1500 S MF-m √ 

Rubiaceae Coffea salvatrix Swynn.& Phillipson 1000 t MF-m √ 

VU 

Rubiaceae Cremospora triflora (Thonn.) K.Schum. 1000 S MF-m √ 

Rubiaceae Lasianthus kilimandscharicus K.Schum. 2000 S MF-h √ 

Rubiaceae Mussaenda arcuata Poir. 1000 S W √ 

Rubiaceae Oleandra distenta Kunze 1800 S W √ 

Rubiaceae Oxyanthus speciosus DC. subsp. stenocarpus (K.Schum.) Bridson 1000 S MF-m √ 

Rubiaceae Pauridiantha symplocoides (S.Moore) Bremek. 1800 S W √ 

Rubiaceae Pavetta chapmannii Bridson 1800 S W √ 

Rubiaceae Pavetta sp. A 1600 S W √ 

Rubiaceae Psychotria zombamontana (Kuntze) Petit 1600 t MF-h,W √ 

Rubiaceae Pyrostria sp. 1800 S MF-h √ 

Rubiaceae Rothmannia urcelliformis (Hiern) Robyns 1000 T MF-m √ 

Rubiaceae Rytigynia uhligii (K.Schum.& K.Krause) Verdc. 1000 t MF-m √ 

Rubiaceae Tricalysia acocantheroides K.Schum. 1800 t W √ 

Rubiaceae Rytigynia uhligii (K.Schum.& K.Krause) Verc. 1000 S MF-m √ 

Rubiaceae Vangueria infausta Burchell subsp. rotundata (Robyns) Verdc. 1000 t W √ 

Rutaceae Clausena anisata (Willd.) Benth. S W 

Rutaceae Toddalia asiatica (L.) Lam. 1000 cl MF-m √ 

Rutaceae Vepris cf. bachmannii (Engl.) W.Mziray 1500-2000 t MF-h √ 

Rutaceae Vepris nobilis (Delile) W.Mziray 1600 t MF-h √ 

Rutaceae Zanthoxylum gilletti (De Wild.) P.G.Waterman 1000 T MF-m 

Sapindaceae Allophylus cf. chaunostachys Gilg 1500-2000 S MF-h √ 

Sapindaceae Blighia unijugata Baker 1000 t MF-m √ 

Sapindaceae Dodonea viscosa Jacq. 2000 S Shrub √ uncertain 

Sapindaceae Macphersonia gracilis O.Hoffm. var. hildebrandtii (O.Hoffm.) Capuron 1500 S MF-h √ 

Sapotaceae Chrysophyllum gorungosanum Engl. 1000 T MF-m √ 

Sapotaceae Englerophytum magalismontanum (Sond.) T.D.Penn. 1000 T W √ 

Sapotaceae Englerophytum natalense (Sond.) T.D.Penn. 1000 T MF-m √ 

Sapotaceae Synsepalum brevipes (Baker f.) T.D.Penn. at 500m T R √ 

Sapotaceae Synsepalum muelleri (Kupicha) T.D.Penn. 1000-1800 t MF-mh √ 

Scrophulariaceae Cycnium adonense Benth. 1000 h W √ 

Simaroubaceae Harrisonia abyssinica A.Juss. 1000 t W 

Solanaceae Solanum cf. giganteum Jacq. 1200-1500 S MF-mh √ 

Sterculiaceae Cola greenwayii Brenan 1000 T MF-m √ 

Sterculiaceae Dombeya burgessiae Harv. 1000 S D/F √ 

Thymeleaceae Peddiea africana Harv. 1500-2000 t MF-h √ 

Tiliaceae Triumfetta cf. pilosa Roth var. effusa (Harv.) Wild 1000 h D/F √ 

Turneraceae Tricliceras longepedunculatum (Mast.) R.Fern. 800 h D/F √ 

Ulmaceae Celtis gomphophylla Baker 1000 T MF-m √ 

Ulmaceae Trema orientalis (L.) Blume 1000 T D/F √ 

Violaceae Rinorea angustifolia (Thouars) Baill. subsp. ardisiiflora (Oliv.) Grey-Wilson 1000-1800 t MF-m/h √ 

Violaceae Rinorea convallarioides (Baker f.) Eyles 1000 T MF-m √ 

Violaceae Rinorea ferruginea Engl. 1000 T MF-m √ 

Vitaceae Cyphostemma cf. congestum (Baker) Descoings 1000 h D/F √ 

Vitaceae Rhoicissus tridentata (L.f.) Wild.& R.B.Drumm. 1000 cl W √ 

NB. Altitude given as 1000 m implies can be found from 800–1200 m in suitable habitat.


ANNEX 3. List of birds seen on Mt Chiperone, 15–18 December 2005 (from Claire 

Spottiswoode & Eric Herrmann). 

Scientific name 

Pernis apivorus 

Buteo augur 

Hieraaetus pennatus 

Francolinus hildebrandti 

Francolinus afer 

Treron calvus 

Turtur tympanistria 

Turtur afer 

Columba delegorguei 

Columba larvata 

Tauraco livingstonii 

Chrysococcyx klaas 

Bubo africanus 

Strix woodfordii 

Macrodipteryx vexillarius 

Apaloderma narina 

Bycanistes bucinator 

Bycanistes brevis 

Stactolaema leucotis 

Pogoniulus bilineatus 

Campethera cailliautii 

Dendropicos fuscescens 

Psalidoprocne orientalist 

Hirundo abyssinica 

Campephaga flava 

Coracina caesia 

Andropadus virens 

Andropadus importunus 

Phyllastrephus flavostriatus 

Pycnonotus barbatus 

Nicator gularis 

Cossypha heuglini 

Cercomela familiaris 

Alethe choloensis 

Phylloscopus trochilus 

Phylloscopus ruficapilla 

Cisticola cantans 

Prinia subflava 

Heliolais erythroptera 

Apalis chariessa 

Apalis melanocephala 

Camaroptera brachyura 

Bradornis pallidus 

Platysteira peltata 

Turdoides jardineii 

Cyanomitra olivacea 

Hedydipna collaris 

Cinnyris venusta 

Zosterops senegalensis 

Common name 

European Honey Buzzard 

Augur Buzzard 

Booted Eagle 

Hildebrandt's Francolin 

Red-necked Spurfowl 

African Green Pigeon 

Tambourine Dove 

Blue-spotted Wood Dove 

Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon 

Lemon Dove 

Livingstone’s Turaco 

Klaas's Cuckoo 

Spotted Eagle Owl 

African Wood Owl 

Pennant-winged Nightjar 

Narina's Trogon 

Trumpeter Hornbill 

Silvery-cheeked Hornbill 

White-eared Barbet 

Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird 

Green-backed Woodpecker 

Cardinal Woodpecker 

Eastern Saw-wing 

Lesser Striped Swallow 

Black Cuckoo-Shrike 

Grey Cuckoo-Shrike 

Little Greenbul 

Sombre Greenbul 

Yellow-streaked Bulbul 

Common Bulbul 

Eastern Nicator 

White-browed Robin-Chat 

Familiar Chat 

Thyolo Alethe 

Willow Warbler 

Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler 

Singing Cisticola 

Tawny-flanked Prinia 

Red-winged Warbler 

White-winged Apalis 

Black-headed Apalis 

Grey-backed Camaroptera 

Pale Flycatcher 

Black-throated Wattle-eye 

Arrow-marked Babbler 

Eastern Olive Sunbird 

Collared Sunbird 

Variable Sunbird 

Yellow White-eye


Telophorus nigrifrons 

Tchagra anchietae 

Dryoscopus cubla 

Laniarius aethiopicus 

Oriolus chlorocephalus 

Dicrurus ludwigii 

Cinnyricinclus leucogaster 

Ploceus bertrandi 

Ploceus ocularis 

Ploceus bicolor 

Ploceus olivaceiceps 

Lagonosticta rhodopareia 

Estrilda quartinia 

Estrilda astrild 

Vidua macroura 

Serinus citrinelloides 

Emberiza cabanisi 

Black-fronted Bush-Shrike 

Anchieta’s Tchagra 

Black-backed Puffback 

Tropical Boubou 

Green-headed Oriole 

Square-tailed Drongo 

Violet-backed Starling 

Bertram’s Weaver 

Spectacled Weaver 

Dark-backed Weaver 

Olive-headed Weaver 

Jameson’s Firefinch 

Yellow-bellied Waxbill 

Common Waxbill 

Pin-tailed Whydah 

African Citril 

Cabanis’s Bunting

the biodiversity and conservation of mount chiperone ... - IIAM

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