Plant Coverage in Serengeti National Park: Have you been in the Serengeti? Serengeti National Park is a breathtaking wildlife destination in the world. If you are going for a safari in this spectacular park, the odds are you are going for migration, Big Five, or balloon safaris. Bird watching is also amazing in the Serengeti.
If you are going for a Serengeti safari, you should not ignore the stunning views from plant coverage. The park is home to breathtaking landscapes and habitats, mainly made of plains, woodlands, and green riverine forests. In this article, we will cover all the plant species found in the vast wilderness of Serengeti.
Trees
The vast plains of Serengeti National Park are dotted with amazing trees. As you cross the plains on a game drive, trees shake gently in the direction of the wind. Here are a few species:
Sausage tree (Kigelia africana)
A sausage tree is a large tree that spreads across the drier river banks of Serengeti. The tree can also be seen in other regions, including open woodlands and streams. A sausage tree bears a long, succulent fruit of up to 60 cm. This fruit is poisonous, so, it usually drops and the pulp rots releasing the seeds. The fruit stalk can still be seen after the fruit detached and is mistaken for a leopard’s tail.
Fig trees (Ficus sp.)
Figs are dispersed in the endless plains of Serengeti National Park. They are common along the moist banks of rivers or in the rocky clefts of kopjes. Serengeti has several species of fig trees. A fig tree has a distinctive grey smooth bark and large buttressing intertwined roots. They also have saucer-sized dark green leaves.
Wild date palm (Phoenix reelinata)
Wild date palms are very common in the Serengeti. They thrive in swamps and rivers. They produce edible fruits, but their taste is terrible. Their feather-shaped leaves provide shade for many animals in Serengeti, including lions.
Yellow fever tree (Vachellia xanthophloea)
These trees grow in wet areas along rivers and near swamps and floodplains. Their unique feature is their large white thorns, yellow bark, and wide stretching branches. The way this obtained its name is fascinating. Early settlers suffered more from malaria. However, they believed that yellow trees caused fevers, and hence the name yellow fever tree. They ignored the fact that stagnant water was a breeding site for mosquitoes.
Whistling thorn (Vachelia drepanolobium)
Whistling thorns are short trees dispersed all over the park, wherever water is abundant. Its thorns have hollow spheres at the base, which are always full of biting ants. Whistling thorn got its name from the whistling sounds of the ant’s entrance holes into the hollow galls. The sounds are produced whenever there is wind flow.
Umbrella tree (Vachelia tortillas)
The umbrella tree has an iconic shape that breaks the flat landscape of the plains. This tree grows over the savannah throughout Serengeti National Park. It has a dark bark, white thorns, and a flat top. This tree represents Africa.
The elephants and giraffes feed on seedlings and young umbrella trees. When bushfires outbreak, these trees are worn out since they cannot survive them.
Commiphora (Commiphora africana)
Commiphora is dominant in the northern part of Serengeti. They are also found throughout the park. The roots, bark, and berries of this tree are used as herbal medicine for treating many diseases, such as rashes, liver problems, and stomach complaints.
Grasses
Red oat grass (Themeda triandra)
This type of grass dominates most woodlands and long grass plains of Serengeti National Park. It usually turns to light pinkish-red color as it dries. They even grow thick like wheat fields on the Serengeti plains.
Finger grass
We may therefore be in a position to conclude that this is the most frequently found grass in the entire Serengeti area. It is a choice for many grazers. The seed heads bear great similarity to thin human fingers raised upwards towards the heavens. This species is most abundant in sere, short-grass plains, and also in finger grass. Their seed is triangular and resembles a Christmas tree, with the seed hanging from the lower part of a frond.
Invasive species
Replacing endemic species, these plant species were not originally found in Serengeti, but they are present there now. An example of such a plant is the Mexican marigold, which is a type of fast-growing weed. This species normally feeds on crops and native plants, and its source originated from a wheat shipment.
Other invading species include prickly pear and custard oil. It has been found that they are a threat to the natural plant coverage of Serengeti National Park. Many invasive species have grown on the sides of the trails and could be distributed all over the park. It may change how the animals behave or live.
When you are planning to go on a safari in Serengeti National Park, what you will be rewarded with are wildlife, birdlife, and vegetation. Discover the plants that are found in different locations and enhance your tour. If you are interested in Tanzania Safaris to Serengeti or any other tourism scenario, contact a consultant from Focus East Africa Tours. In no time, design your program, and then it is a matter of waiting for the start of your safari.
