Dendrosenecio adnivalis

Giant groundsels several metres tall form strange, fairy-tale forests in the alpine zone of the Rwenzori Mountains on the Congo–Uganda border.

Dendrosenecio adnivalis is a giant plant of the daisy family that reaches several metres in height – a distant relative of the humble common groundsel. It has a thick trunk wrapped in a cloak of dead leaves that protects it from night frosts, and huge rosettes of leaves at the tips of its few branches. It flowers rarely, producing showy panicles of yellow flower heads. It grows very slowly in a misty, cool climate where temperatures swing from summery by day to freezing at night.

Significance in the country

The giant groundsel forests on the slopes of the Rwenzori are among the most extraordinary landscapes of Virunga National Park, Africa’s oldest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Where it grows

The alpine zone of the Congolese part of the Rwenzori Mountains, at about 3,800–4,500 m, on the border between North Kivu (Beni Territory) and Ituri.

More: Wikipedia (en)