PJB-2017-539
FLORISTIC CONFIGURATION AND ECOLOGICAL PHYSIOGNOMIES OF THE PLANT RESOURCES OF ARANG VALLEY BAJAUR AGENCY (FATA)
Dr. Lal Badshah
Abstract
Abstract
The present study was conducted on floristic composition and biological spectrum of the plants of Arang valley, Bajaur Agency during 2014-2015, which is the first ever record of flora from this remote area. A total of 218 species belonging to 83 families were analyzed. Of them, 80 were angiosperms containing 26 species of monocotyledons and 188 species of dicotyledons. Two pteridophytians and a single gymnospermic species were occasional in occurrence. The leading families were Asteraceae (24 spp) followed by Lamiaceae (17 spp), Poaceae (16 spp) and Papilonaceae with (14 spp). The biological adaptation showed that the therophytes (43.58%), hemicryptophytes (14.68%) nanophanerophytes (12.84%) were the dominant life form followed by mesophanerophytes (11.01%). Geophytes with (11.93%) and chamaephytes (5.96%) were the coexisting species showing the xeric nature of the climate and thus adapted vegetation. The leaf size spectrum was microphyllous (33.94%) followed by nanophylls (28.89%) and mesophyll (25.68%). Leptophylls with (9.63%) and macrophylls were of least concerns. While the Cuscuta reflexa was the only aphyllous taxon. The life cycle was dominated by annual (49.54%) followed by perenial (48.62%) and biennial as (1.84%). Similarly, phenology showed that 135 species (61.93%) produced flowers in spring followed by 62 species (28.44%) in summer, 13 species (5.96%) in autumn and 08 species (3.67%) in winter season. The study revealed that the area is unexplored, although having diverse vegetation representing flora and unique vegetation associations. So it is strongly recommended for the multi-dimension studies of the plant resources.
Key words: Floristic composition, biological spectrum, ecology, FATA.
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