Orchids of Kenya

Situated astride the Equator, Kenya is one of the most beautiful countries in Africa. From the idyllic white beaches of coral sand, facing the Indian Ocean, to the snowfields at the top of Mt Kenya more than 5000 metres above sea level, it is a land of great diversity, wild landscapes and abundant wildlife. The flora too is very varied. Among the trees and shrubs of the forests and bush and in the extensive grasslands, nearly three hundred different kinds of orchids can be found. This is the first book devoted to the orchids of Kenya. It deals with all the epiphytic species, the lianes in the genus Vanilla, and finally the terrestrial kinds. They are all described in a logical and comparable way. Approximately two-thirds of the species are illustrated in colour, many of them in close-up. An important chapter describing the work on orchid conservation at the National Museums of Kenya, in Nairobi, is also included. The text describes each species, where it grows in Kenya, and when it flowers. Other countries in Africa where each can be found are also mentioned. For each of the 50 genera there are historical notes and distribution data as well as hints on cultivation. Keys to the gene