Swaziland report / Commonwealth Relations Office.

  • Great Britain. Office of Commonwealth Relations
Date:
[1960]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Swaziland report / Commonwealth Relations Office. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    100/124 page 88
    great, especially in the Lowveld where drought hazard is also most serious. Over large tracts of that region, an annual fall of 30 inches can be expected only one or two years in ten, as against five or more years in ten in other regions. The maximum rainfall recorded in one day has been more than 10 inches, at Havelock. From the data provided by 25 stations making thermometer readings, it can be judged that the mean annual temperature on the Highveld is just over 60 degrees F. and that in the Low¬ veld is about 72 degrees F. seasonal and daily ranges in temper¬ ature are greatest in the Lowveld and least on the Lubombc and Highveld. These last two regions are thought to be more equable because of proximity to the Indian Ocean and pre¬ valence of cloud and mist respectively. There is a low incidence of frost; it can, however, be expected for a few days in most years on much of the Highveld and upper Middleveld, and in valley bottoms throughout the Territory. The meteorological records taken by official and private observers are collected by the Land Utilization Department in conjunction with the Weather Bureau of the Union of South Africa, which provides rain gauges and other instru¬ ments. The Bremersdorp station reports twice daily to the Weather Bureau in Pretoria. In the Table on page 86 the salient features of Swaziland’s climate are brought out. Where possible. 1960 figures are given as well as long-term averages. Reference should be made to the map on page 87 for an overall picture of mean annual rainfall. Flora The range of altitude in Swaziland 6,000 ft. from Emlembe to Abercorn, is so great that a corespondingly great range of flora might be expected. The actual number of species of flower¬ ing plants, ferns and fern-allies in the Territory so far recorded is about 2,200, distributed among over 700 genera. Further investigation will certainly add to these totals. The types of- vegetation also show considerable diversity. Highveld grassland occurs on the higher open slopes, diversified by patches of forest in the steeper ravines, and by scattered small trees among the granite boulders and on screes. The forest comprises trees of up to 60 feet in height with a rich undergrowth of shrubs, ferns and herbaceous ground flora. Some swampy areas are particularly rich in species. The Middleveld is mainly grassland, often with grasses up to six feet high, with scattered thorn-trees (mainly Acacias). It has been almost everywhere altered by fires, cultivation and grazing, and floristically it is somewhat uninteresting. Bushveld vegetation covers most of the country below 1,500 feet and extends up some of the river valleys to nearly 3,000 ft. It is characterized by more or less scattered trees of a great variety of species, and several different types of bushveld can be recognised. In the native areas in particular much tree
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