Country: Ethiopia
Administrative region: Oromia (Regional State)
Central co-ordinates: 6.85155 N, 39.79745 E
Qualifying IPA Criteria
A(i)Site contains one or more globally threatened species, A(iii)Site contains one or more highly restricted endemic species that are potentially threatened, A(iv)Site contains one or more range restricted endemic species that are potentially threatened, B(ii)Site contains an exceptional number of species of high conservation importance
IPA assessment rationale
This IPA qualifies under criterion A(i) as it is known to contain 24 threatened species, A(iii) and A(iv) as it contains range restricted species that may be threatened. This IPA also qualifies under criterion B(ii) as it contains an exceptional number of species of high conservation importance.
Site description
The Bale Mountains (BM) IPA is situated in the Oromia Region, at the intersection of the Bale and West Arsi administrative zones, c 40 km south of the town of Robe in the Bale floristic region. The Bale Mountains are in the central highlands of the Ethiopian rift valley and reach their peak at Tullu/Mt Deemtu (4,400 m asl). The BM represents the largest area in Africa of the Afroalpine vegetation over 3000m and is the most intact remnant of original highland vegetation (UNESCO, 2024). The contiguous massif is 2067 km2, or 17.5% of African land above 3000 m, and is the most intact remnant of original highland vegetation (Brooks et al., 2004). The BM has been recognized been recognized for its significance with both national and international protection as a National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Botanical significance
The Bale Mountains IPA is of global conservation significance as one of the largest and most intact remaining example of remant Afroalpine and Afromontane vegetation in Africa, which in turn is important habitat for many threatened and endemic Ethiopian plant taxa. Notably it contains Cynanchum balense strict endemic to Bale Mountains region (not just this IPA, all collected at c3,200 m) as well as the entire known population of Crotalaria hypargyrea. C. hypargyrea is only from type in 1928 (Basile #221).
Habitat and geology
Conservation issues
Site assessor(s)
Assessed by:
IPA criterion A species
| Species | Qualifying sub-criterion | ≥ 1% of global population | ≥ 5% of national population | 1 of 5 best sites nationally | Entire global population | Socio-economically important | Abundance at site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afroligusticum mattirolii (Chiov.) P.J.D.Winter | A(i) |  |
 |
|
|
|
Occasional |
| Afroligusticum petitianum (A.Rich.) P.J.D.Winter | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Occasional |
| Alchemilla haumanii Rothm. | A(iv) | |
|
|
|
|
Frequent |
| Alopecurus baptarrhenius S.M.Phillips | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Occasional |
| Anthoxanthum aethiopicum I.Hedberg | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Unknown |
| Arisaema mooneyanum M.G.Gilbert & Mayo | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Unknown |
| Artemisia schimperi Sch.Bip. ex Engl. | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Scarce |
| Asplenium balense Chaerle & Viane | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Scarce |
| Chiliocephalum tegetum Mesfin | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Occasional |
| Clinopodium paradoxum (Vatke) Ryding | A(iv) | |
|
|
|
|
Occasional |
| Crotalaria hypargyrea Chiov. | A(iii) | |
|
|
|
|
Unknown |
| Cyanotis polyrrhiza Hochst. ex Hassk. | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Occasional |
| Cynanchum balense Liede | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Occasional |
| Cyperus clandestinus Steud. | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Occasional |
| Euryops prostratus B.Nord. | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Frequent |
| Haplocarpha hastata K.Lewin | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Scarce |
| Helichrysum harennense Mesfin | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Occasional |
| Herniaria abyssinica Chaudhri | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Scarce |
| Lobelia acrochila (E.Wimm.) E.B.Knox | A(iv) | |
|
|
|
|
Occasional |
| Malva aethiopica C.J.S.Davis | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Scarce |
| Poa hedbergii S.M.Phillips | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Scarce |
| Ranunculus simensis Fresen. | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Unknown |
| Ranunculus tembensis Fresen. | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Unknown |
| Rubus erlangeri Engl. | A(iv) | |
|
|
|
|
Unknown |
| Sedum glomerifolium M.G.Gilbert | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Unknown |
| Sedum mooneyi M.G.Gilbert | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Occasional |
| Senecio balensis S.OrtÃz & Vivero | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Unknown |
| Senecio farinaceus Sch.Bip. ex A.Rich. | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Unknown |
| Senecio steudelii Sch.Bip. ex A.Rich. | A(iv) | |
|
|
|
|
Unknown |
| Trifolium spananthum Thulin | A(i) | |
|
|
|
|
Afroligusticum mattirolii (Chiov.) P.J.D.Winter
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Occasional
Afroligusticum petitianum (A.Rich.) P.J.D.Winter
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Occasional
Alchemilla haumanii Rothm.
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(iv)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Frequent
Alopecurus baptarrhenius S.M.Phillips
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Occasional
Anthoxanthum aethiopicum I.Hedberg
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Unknown
Arisaema mooneyanum M.G.Gilbert & Mayo
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Unknown
Artemisia schimperi Sch.Bip. ex Engl.
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Scarce
Asplenium balense Chaerle & Viane
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Scarce
Chiliocephalum tegetum Mesfin
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Occasional
Clinopodium paradoxum (Vatke) Ryding
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(iv)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Occasional
Crotalaria hypargyrea Chiov.
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(iii)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Unknown
Cyanotis polyrrhiza Hochst. ex Hassk.
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Occasional
Cynanchum balense Liede
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Occasional
Cyperus clandestinus Steud.
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Occasional
Euryops prostratus B.Nord.
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Frequent
Haplocarpha hastata K.Lewin
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Scarce
Helichrysum harennense Mesfin
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Occasional
Herniaria abyssinica Chaudhri
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Scarce
Lobelia acrochila (E.Wimm.) E.B.Knox
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(iv)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Occasional
Malva aethiopica C.J.S.Davis
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Scarce
Poa hedbergii S.M.Phillips
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Scarce
Ranunculus simensis Fresen.
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Unknown
Ranunculus tembensis Fresen.
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Unknown
Rubus erlangeri Engl.
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(iv)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Unknown
Sedum glomerifolium M.G.Gilbert
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Unknown
Sedum mooneyi M.G.Gilbert
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Occasional
Senecio balensis S.OrtÃz & Vivero
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Unknown
Senecio farinaceus Sch.Bip. ex A.Rich.
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Unknown
Senecio steudelii Sch.Bip. ex A.Rich.
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(iv)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Unknown
Trifolium spananthum Thulin
Qualifying sub-criterion:
A(i)
≥ 1% of global population:
≥ 5% of national population:
1 of 5 best sites nationally:
Entire global population:
Socio-economically important:
Abundance at site:
Recommended citation
(2025) Tropical Important Plant Areas Explorer: Bale Mountains (Ethiopia). https://tipas.kew.org/site/bale-mountains/ (Accessed on 15/01/2025)