Location: Mukuvisi Woodland, Harare

Photo: Mark Hyde
Mukuvisi River with evergreen riverine fringe vegetation (Syzygium cordatum) and dry season bush in background with msasas just coming into leaf.

Photo: Mark Hyde
The footbridge over the Mukuvisi River, looking south towards Blatherwick Avenue. This bridge was swept away in heavy rains in the 2007/8 rainy season and was repaired in 2008.

Photo: Mark Hyde
A dry season woodland scene with the msasa (Brachystegia spiciformis) just coming into young leaf.

Photo: Mark Hyde
Vegetation (in this case the fern ally, Selaginella dregei) growing in a crack on a bare rock surface. This is an unusual habitat in the Mukuvisi Woodlands and is mostly to be found to the south of the River in the Blatherwick Avenue area.

Photo: Mark Hyde
An early-flowering species, Dombeya rotundifolia.

Photo: Mark Hyde
A termite mound, covered in dense woody vegetation, including, on this occasion, Schotia brachypetala in flower.

General Information

Description

The Mukuvisi (formerly Makabusi) Woodlands consists of 274 hectares of miombo woodland and grassland, approximately 5 kms from the centre of the city of Harare. The area is owned by the Municipality of Harare and is leased to the Mukuvisi Woodlands Association.

In addition to conserving the area, the Association plays a role in conservation education.

The area consists mainly of miombo woodland, but there are also areas of grassland and vlei and in addition, two rivers, namely the Chiraura and the Mukuvisi flow through the area. In the south of the area, between the Mukuvisi River and Blatherwick Avenue are some fine examples of bare rock with seasonally wet seepage zones.

Many trees typical of miombo woodland, such as Dovyalis zeyheri may be found. In dry woodland shade grow species such as Dicliptera spinulosa, Monechma debile and the early flowering orchid Eulophia tuberculata.

In wetter areas the native suffrutex Ficus verruculosa occurs as well as weedy species such as Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum and Fumaria muralis.

A Guide to the Trees & Shrubs of the Mukuvisi Woodlands (Meg Coates-Palgrave, c.1990) was published, providing keys and images of leaves.

Useful links

View a list of records for Mukuvisi Woodland, Harare

View a list of recorders who have visited this location