What types of vegetation grow in the drier areas of Eastern Africa?

In the drier areas of Eastern Africa, the vegetation is characterized by a variety of drought-resistant plants adapted to limited and unreliable rainfall.

In the drier savanna regions, the landscape is dominated by acacias and bushwillows (Combretum). These areas also feature conspicuous, thick-trunked baobabs (Adansonia digitata), sturdy palms (Borassus), and various succulent species of spurge (Euphorbia). Additionally, the drier savannas often contain a wide diversity of spiny shrubs.1

The grass cover in these drier environments typically includes species of bluestem (Andropogon), thatching grass, and kangaroo grass.1

In specific parts of the region—such as areas within a rain shadow or those with unfavorable geology like raised coral reefs—the vegetation shifts toward thorny bush, succulent shrubs, and scrawny grassland. Furthermore, in some locations, old termite mounds provide elevated, flood-proof sites that allow trees and shrubs to grow amidst the surrounding grassland, a formation sometimes referred to as "termite savanna".23