mutati

Let's Talk About Mutati, a Threatened Indigenous Tree of Kenya

Have you heard of Mutati, known by this name in Kikuyu?

This is a remarkable indigenous tree that can grow into a very large tree. Its flowers provide forage for bees, while its trunk has traditionally been used to make beehives.

Think about that. A single tree can support beekeeping while contributing to the forest ecosystem.

But Mutati has an interesting conservation story.

In 1998, the species was assessed as Vulnerable to extinction. By 2018, it had been reclassified as Near Threatened. Although this was an improvement in its assessed conservation status, it does not mean the tree is free from risk.

Mutati is endemic to Kenya, meaning it naturally occurs in Kenya and nowhere else in the world.

It has been recorded in the Central, Eastern and Rift Valley regions, including Baringo, Laikipia, Kiambu, Meru, Nairobi and Nakuru counties.

Specific locations include Londiani, Elburgon, Nairobi, Marmanet, Kagochi, Maji Mazuri, Tigoni, Kieni, Solai, Lari and Bahati forests.

The species was also recorded in the Mau Forest, but those recorded individuals are no longer considered extant because of forest clearance.

One of its greatest threats is the clearing of native forests for settlement and agriculture.

When we lose these forests, we do not just lose trees. We also lose bee forage, habitats and indigenous species that exist naturally only in Kenya.

This is why documenting, propagating and protecting our indigenous trees matters.

Have you ever seen Mutati growing in the wild, or do you know it by another local name?