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Lobelia deckenii keniensis, "Cousin Itt" plant on Mount Kenya, the 2nd highest peak in Africa. Kenya, East Africa.

Lobelia deckenii keniensis, "Cousin Itt" plant on Mount Kenya, the 2nd highest peak in Africa. Kenya, East Africa. The Lobelia telekii plant (in the family Campanulaceae) is found only in the alpine zones of Mount Kenya, Mount Elgon, and the Aberdare Mountains. Each flower is subtended by a long hairy bract, resulting in a funny overall appearance, leading to the nickname "Cousin Itt lobelia" (referring to the fictional character in the 1964 Addams Family television series and later films). After a few decades of growth, it produces a single large flower stalk up to 3 metres (10 ft) tall, then dies. The bird-pollinated flowers are hidden among the large bracts within the inflorescence. The leaves and bracts are blue-green, and the flowers purple. On Mount Kenya, Lobelia telekii occurs at elevations of 3,500–5,000 metres (11,500–16,400 ft). It inhabits the drier hill slopes, while its close relative Lobelia keniensis prefers the moister valley bottoms; partially fertile hybrids occur. We trekked on Mt Kenya for 7 days sleeping in tents plus 1 hut to escape wind. Mount Kenya National Park is honored by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. The Republic of Kenya is named after Mount Kenya, the second-highest peak in Africa (exceeded by Tanzania's Mt Kilimanjaro). We hiked up Mt Kenya's remote Timau Route, rounded the Summit Circuit counterclockwise, and descended the Chogoria Route. (Ascending Sirimon Route would be shorter and equally scenic.) The mountain's third highest peak, Point Lenana (4,985 m or 16,355 ft), is a worthy trekking goal, but icy rain forced our circumvention via the lower trail from Austrian Hut, climaxing around 15,715 feet elevation.

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2024 Feb AFRICA: TANZANIA, KENYA, VICTORIA FALLS, AFRICA favorites, KENYA: trek Mount Kenya, Highlights 2024
Lobelia deckenii keniensis, "Cousin Itt" plant on Mount Kenya, the 2nd highest peak in Africa. Kenya, East Africa. The Lobelia telekii plant (in the family Campanulaceae) is found only in the alpine zones of Mount Kenya, Mount Elgon, and the Aberdare Mountains. Each flower is subtended by a long hairy bract, resulting in a funny overall appearance, leading to the nickname "Cousin Itt lobelia" (referring to the fictional character in the 1964 Addams Family television series and later films). After a few decades of growth, it produces a single large flower stalk up to 3 metres (10 ft) tall, then dies. The bird-pollinated flowers are hidden among the large bracts within the inflorescence. The leaves and bracts are blue-green, and the flowers purple. On Mount Kenya, Lobelia telekii occurs at elevations of 3,500–5,000 metres (11,500–16,400 ft). It inhabits the drier hill slopes, while its close relative Lobelia keniensis prefers the moister valley bottoms; partially fertile hybrids occur. We trekked on Mt Kenya for 7 days sleeping in tents plus 1 hut to escape wind. Mount Kenya National Park is honored by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. The Republic of Kenya is named after Mount Kenya, the second-highest peak in Africa (exceeded by Tanzania's Mt Kilimanjaro). We hiked up Mt Kenya's remote Timau Route, rounded the Summit Circuit counterclockwise, and descended the Chogoria Route. (Ascending Sirimon Route would be shorter and equally scenic.) The mountain's third highest peak, Point Lenana (4,985 m or 16,355 ft), is a worthy trekking goal, but icy rain forced our circumvention via the lower trail from Austrian Hut, climaxing around 15,715 feet elevation.
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