How does plant life change with altitude on Mount Kenya?

Vegetation on Mount Kenya is organized into distinct altitudinal zones that transition as elevation increases.12

• Basal Zone: The mountain rises from the surrounding savanna, with lower slopes featuring cultivated land and grasslands dominated by species such as Acacia and Themeda.12
• Montane Forest (6,000–10,000 feet): A dense forest belt begins at approximately 6,000 feet, containing giant trees like camphor, figs, cedar, yellowwood, and East African olive.12
• Bamboo and Parkland (from 8,000 feet): Montane bamboo becomes predominant at higher forest levels, eventually merging into a zone of parkland and low thicket.12
• Giant Heather Zone: This follows the forest, leading into the higher reaches of the mountain.12
• Afro-Alpine Zone (11,000–12,000 feet): Characterized by unique vegetation, including tree groundsel and giant lobelia, set against a backdrop of tussocky grassland and everlastings.12
• Upper Limits (up to 15,000 feet): Mosses and lichens persist until about 15,000 feet, above which the terrain consists only of bare rock, glaciers, and ice.12