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OXALIS CORNICULATA AS A SUCCESSFUL LAWN WEED: A STUDY OF MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATION FROM CONTRASTING HABITATS

MUHAMMAD IBRAHIM MALIK, SEEMA MAHMOOD^*, GHULAM YASIN AND NAHIDAH BASHIR

Abstract: Oxalis corniculata, an abnoxious weed and is of cosmopolitan distribution. The species is a successful invader and seems to be adapted to a wide array of habitats.  In the present study various survival strategies of the species under different environmental conditions were assessed through the variability of morphological character expressions. Eight populations of the O. corniculta were sampled from 4 contrasting habitats and were studied for various traits. The populations exhibited distinct morphological responses with respect to changing environmental conditions. The variability of phenotypic expressions seems to provide some selective advantage for survival under contrasting habitat situations.  The species appeared to be a successful lawn weed as the maximum adaptive significance of character expressions was observed from a mowed lawn.  The study suggested that various abiotic/ biotic factors did not limit the growth of the species. Hence, chemical control seems to be an appropriate strategy for weed management.

Institute of Pure and Applied Biology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan Pakistan

^*Corresponding author’s e-mail: drseemapk@gmail.com