Diversity of halophytes growing in the University of Peshawar Botanical Garden, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Khan, R. (University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan). Centre of Plant Biodiversity) | Ullah, A. (University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan). Centre of Plant Biodiversity) | Khan, M.A. (University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan). Centre of Plant Biodiversity) | Shah, S.M. | Rashid, A.
The present study was conducted to investigate the Halophytic Biodiversity of the University of Peshawar Botanical Garden. The study revealed 37 halophytic plant species belonging to 34 genera and 18 families. Four families were of monocotyledons and 14 families were of Dicotyledons. The leading family was Poaceae with 10 species (27.03%), followed by Chenopodiaceae with 4 species (10.81%) and Papilionaceae with 3 species (8.81%). The remaining families consisted of less than 3 species each. The Halo-physiotypic classification revealed that Xerohalophytes were dominant with 12(32.43%) species, Hydrohalophytes 9(24.32%), Psammophytes 6(16.22%), Weedy 5(13.51%), Xerohalophyte 3(8.11%), while Chasmophytes and Phrea with 1(2.70%) species each. The Electric conductivity (EC) of the soil ranges from 6.9 to 15.8dS/m and the soil texture varied from loamy sand to clay. On the basis of biological spectrum the Thererophytes and Nanophanerophytes were dominant with 13(35.14%) species each, followed by Chamaephytes 5(13.51%) species, Microphanerophytes and Mesophanerophytes 2(5.41%) species each and Megaphanerophytes sand Hemicryptophytes with 1(2.70%) species each. Leaf size spectrum was dominated by Nanophylls with 14 (37.84%) species, followed by Microphylls 11(29.73%), Leptophylls 6(16.21%), Macrophylls 3(8.12%), Mesophylls 2(5.41%) and Megaphylls with 1(2.70%) species. Abundance status indicated that 21(56.76%) were frequent followed by dominant and rare with 8(21.62%) species. Phenologically 27(72.97%) species were in reproductive and 10(27.03%) were in vegetative stage.
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