NOTES ON THE VEGETATION OF INSELBERGS IN MALAWI

Flora and vegetation of Malawian inselbergs are briefly described. Hab itat types which are known from other parts of Africa also occur here. Inselbergs in Malawi are floristically richer with many succulents an d poikilohydric species and harbour more endemics than those in West A frica. Of major importance for the higher species richness is the isol ated massif of Mt. Mulanje. Outstanding examples of endemics are the t ree-like Velloziaceae Xerophyta splendens and the Orchidaceae Polystac hya johnstonii epiphytic on stems of the preceding species. Apart from widespread species (e.g. Cyanotis lanata) which are shared with West African inselbergs there is a high degree of floristic divergence with vicariant taxa replacing each other, e.g. the mat-forming. Cyperaceae Coleochloa setifera as ecological counterpart of the West African Afr otrilepis pilosa. The inselberg flora of Malawi is largely Zambezian w ith links to Madagascar.