FLORA OF RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITY, RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA: A PRELIMINARY CHECKLIST
Asian Journal of Plant and Soil Sciences,
Page 116-135
Abstract
The importance of plants in the environment is highly pronounced. They help in soil fertility, conservation, they hold the soil together, thereby preventing erosion. They also provide water, food, construction materials, windbreak, shade and aesthetic uses. An inventory of the plants in the University campus was undertaken to determine their family, genus and species compositions and thereby generate their checklist. Methods followed conventional practice as reported by previous authors of related studies. A total of three hundred and thirty-three (333) plants species belonging to two hundred and twenty- three (223) genera and eighty (80) families were identified and recorded. The most diverse families were the grasses, of the Poaceae family, consisting of 41 species and 26 genera, followed by the Asteraceae (29 species in 23 genera), Fabaceae (23 species in 16 genera), Cyperaceae (23 species in 7 genera), Euphorbiaceae (15 species in 8 genera), Lamiaceae (14 species in 9 genera), Amaranthaceae (11 species in 4 genera), Moraceae (10 species in 3 genera). Other families present had fewer species with fewer genera. Herbs (65.5%) were the dominant plant habit, followed by trees (17.7%), Shrubs (13.8%), Ferns (2.40%) and Liana (0.60%). The most dominant life form was the perennials (67.27%, followed by the annuals (29.73%) and annual/perennial (3.00) plants. This is the first comprehensive inventory/check list of plants present in the Rivers State University of Port Harcourt. With the continuous developmental activities, practical conservation approaches is ideal if the study area is to be saved from total loss of species.
Keywords:
- Plant inventory
- poaceae
- asteraceae
- fabaceae
- conservation
- herbs
- trees
How to Cite
References
Borokini TI, Okere AU, Giwa AO, Daramola BO, Odofin WT. Biodiversity and conservation of plant genetic resources in Field Genebank of the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Ibadan, Nigeria. International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation. 2010;2(3) :037-050.
Ayodele AA, Chukwuma EC, Adesina OA, Oyedokun MO, Afolarin TA. The Role of Ecotourism in Biodiversity Conservation: A Case Study of the University of Ibadan Botanical and Zoological Gardens. In Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference of the Forestry Association of Nigeria held at the University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria, between. 2013;24-34.
Valdecasas AG, Camacho AI. Conservation to the rescue of taxonomy. Biodiversity and Conservation. 2003;12:1113–1117.
Ajao A. Harnessing Nigeria’s biological diversity in an integrated approach to ational development. JORIND. 2012;10(2):40-45.
Barthlott W, Mutke J, Rafiqpoor MD, Kier G, Kreft H. Global centres of vascular plant diversity. Nova Acta Leopoldina. 2005;92 (342):61–83.
Davis AP, Govaerts R, Bridson DM, Ruhsam M, Moat J, Brummitt NA. A Global Assessment of Distribution, Diversity, Endemism, and Taxonomic Effort in the Rubiaceae. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. 2009;96(1):68–78;
Available: http://dx.doi.org/10.3417/2006205
Oates JF, Bergl RA, Linder JM. Africa’s Gulf of Guinea Forests: Biodiversity Patterns and Conservation Priorities. Advances in Applied Biodiversity Science. Number 6. Conservation International, Washington D.C. 2004;90.
Hutchinson J, Dalziel JM, Keay RWJ, Hepper FN, Alston AHG. 1954-1972. Flora of West Tropical Africa, the British West African Territories, Liberia, the French and Portuguese Territories South of Latitude 18 Degrees North to Lake Chad, and Fernando Po. Second edition. Crown Agents for Oversea Governments, and Administrations, London; 1954-1972.
Lowe J. The Flora of Nigerian Grasses. Ed. 2. Ibadan University Press; 1989.
Keay RWJ. Trees of Nigeria. Oxford University Press, New York. 1989;476.
Hutchinson J, Dalziel JM. Flora of West Tropical Africa. Edition 2, Revised by Keay, R. V. and Happer, F. N.). Crown Agent for Oversea Government and Administration, London. 1958 – 1968;2:424.
Burkhill, H. M. 1985. Useful plants of West Tropical Africa, Edition 2, Families A – D, Royal Botanic Garden, Kew.1985;2 :960.
Burkhill HM. Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa, Edition 2, Families E – I, Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. 1994;2:969.
Burkhill HM. Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa, Edition 2, Families J – L, Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. 1995;3:857.
Burkhill HM. Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa, Edition 2, Families M – R, Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. 1997;4:969.
Burkhill HM. Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa, Edition 2, Families S – Z, Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. 2000;5:969.
Gills LS. Ethnomedical uses of plants in Nigeria. University of Benin press, Nigeria. 1992;276.
Akobundu IO, Agyakwa CW. A handbook of West African weeds. IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria. 1998;23-58.
Odugbemi T. A Textbook of Medicinal Plants from Nigeria. Unilag Press. 2008;628.
Soladoye MO, Chukwuma EC, Owa FP. An Avalanche’ of Plant Species for the Traditional cure of Diabetes mellitus in South-Western Nigeria. Journal of Natural Products and Plant Resources. 2012;2 (1):60-72.
Arne N. The shallow and the deep, long-range ecology movement: a summary', Inquiry I6, 1973, succinctly explained by Andrew Dobson, Green political thought. London: Routledge. 1992;47.
Edwin-Wosu NL, Edu EAB. Eco-taxonomicassessment of plant species regeneration status in a post remediated crude oil impacted site in parts of Ibibio-I-Oil field in Ikot-Ada Udo, Ikot-Abasi local government area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Asian Journal of Plant Science and Research. 2013; 3(3):14-23.
-
Abstract View: 330 times
PDF Download: 2 times
Download Statistics
Downloads
Login to access subscriber-only resources.
