Authors: Michael B. Thomas, Raymond Umazekabiri, Thacien Hagenimana, and Daniel Igirimbabazi
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Locality: Nyungwe Forest, Rwanda
Abstract: The Nyungwe Forest is located in southwestern Rwanda, on the border with Burundi, where it is contiguous with the Kibira National Park to the south, and Lake Kivu and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. The Nyungwe rainforest is probably the best preserved montane rainforest in Central Africa. It is located in the watershed between the basin of the river Congo to the west and the basin of the river Nile to the east. From the east side of the Nyungwe forest comes also one of the branches of the Nile sources.

Nyungwe Forest National Park was established in 2004 and covers an area of approximately 970 km2 of rainforest, bamboo, grassland, swamps, and bogs. The nearest town is Cyangugu, 54 km to the west. Mount Bigugu is located within the park borders. In October 2020, the Rwanda Development Board signed an agreement with African Parks to assume management of Nyungwe National Park for an initial 20 years. It's a vast area of mountain rainforest, home to many species of chimpanzees, plus owl-faced and colobus monkeys. The Canopy Walkway, part of the Igishigishigi Trail, is a high suspension bridge with views over the valley and surrounding forests.

iNaturalist: Nyungwe National Park Plants Project

Families: 116
Genera: 269
Species: 358 (species rank)
Total Taxa: 403 (including subsp. and var.)
Athyrium scandicinum - Ibishurushuru
Momordica foetida - Umushishiro
Hibiscus cannabinus - brown Indianhemp
Phyllanthus fraternus - gulf leaf-flower
Solanum mauritianum - earleaf nightshade