Compared with the other countries of East Africa, Uganda is ranked as the best country with the rich flora diversity that is green and lush, this country remains rich because of its geographical position, astride the equator between east and central Africa it is a real melting pot of influence.
The vegetation species of Uganda are divided in to different principal belts four are mainly dependent on the quantity of the available moisture; forests and its derivatives: moist savannah including the ever-green woodlands, open bushed or wooded grasslands, dry Savannah including mainly thorn bush land.
Semi- desert vegetation with mainly dwarf shrub grassland the fifth belt includes aquatic vegetation and permanent swamps then the sixth one is afro- Alphine moorland and grass land this type is influenced more by temperature and rain fall. The flora species in the forest belt are separated in to different main areas as analyzed below.
The forests around Lake Victoria are all intermediate forests lying at almost 1,200 meters and approximately (4000 feet) above the sea level. Note one of the best remnants and the most accessible is Mabira Forest Reserve that is situated between Kampala and Jinja much of this forest is a semi- deciduous gift with many Maesopsis, Celtis, Holoptelea, Albizia, the handsome Baikiaea insign that grows in the wet places.
On the other hand, the nearly untouched forest that is accessible by use of water transport are found on the Ssese Islands it flora species are ever green dominated species here include the tall flat crowned piptadeniastrum africanum and Uapaca guinensis with its spectacular stilt roots
The other flora species are those around the northern and western shores of Lake Victoria these have been linked in the past to those along the western Rift. Then those occurring on the north east of Lake Victoria from Mountain Elgon to the northern Karamoja seen to have been isolated for a long time.
The different National Parks in Uganda with Unique Flora Species
Murchison Falls National Park
This hidden gem is gifted with rich flora species especially in the north side of the Nile it owns extensive open grasslands that are dotted with Borassus Palm (Borassus aethiopicus) which also occurs in the west Nile region and around Lira.
Queen Elizabeth National Park
There are plenty of mosaic of red oat grass (Themeda) and grasslands with much taller, tufted species like hood grasses (Hyparrhenia) cotton grass (Imperato) and lemon grass (Cymbopogon).
For the flooded areas in this stunning park are often covered with dense woodlands of Acacia gerrardii easily recognized by its black bark and the dense white flower.
Kidepo Valley National Park
The most common flora species at this park belong to the genera commophora Acacia Euphorbia and Grewia, Acacia brevispica well known as the wait a bit thron often forms dense impenetrable thickness the other typical species of this region are the small tree Lannea himilis in the Narus Valley of Kidepo there are extensive groves of Borassus Palm.
Mount Elgon National Park
This park rich ecological system is largely replaced by Stoebe kilimandscharia a shrub of the daisy family which looks very much like a Philippia.
The other large and richest remaining national parks with unique flora species include Semuliki Rwenzori, Queen Elizabeth, Mgahinga Gorilla Park, Bwindi Impenetrable among others.
In conclusion
These destinations ecological system is being protected by the National Forestry Authority (NFA) that has developed a number of strategies such as carrying out bio diversity inventories, afforestation and demarcating the boundaries among others ways.
The ministry is doing all these tasks with the main goal of keeping these places beauty untouched hence promoting eco-tourism in Uganda.