Pak. J. Pl. Sci.

, 17 (2): 117-120; 2011

FLORISTIC DIVERSITY AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF

WEEDS OF SUNFLOWER CROP OF UNIVERSITY OF PESHAWAR
BOTANICAL GARDEN, AZAKHEL, DISTRICT NOWSHERA, PAKISTAN

Syed Mukaram Shah and Farrukh Hussain

Centre of Plant Biodiversity and Botanical Garden, University of Peshawar, Pakistan

Abstract

Twenty three species of weeds including 15 dicots, 7 monocots and one pteridophyte
of 13 families were recorded during July, 2011. Poaceae was leading family with (6 Spp.,
26.09%) followed by Asteraceae (3 Spp., 13.04 %), Papilionaceae & Solanaceae (each with 2
Spp., 8.70%). The remaining families had one species representation. Therophytes (17 Spp., 74
%) and geophytes (4 Spp., 17.39 %) and hemicryptophytes (2 Spp., 8.70 %) were the life form
classes. Microphylls were the leading leaf-size class (15 Spp., 62.22%) which was followed by
nanophylls (4 Spp., 17.39 %), leptophylls (2 Spp., 8.70 %), mesophylls and megaphylls (each
had with 1 Spp., 4.35 %). Phenological studies indicated that 69.57 % weeds were in
reproductive stage and 30.43% were in vegetative stage.

Key words: Botanical Garden, Sunflower, Weeds, Ecology.

Introduction

University of Peshawar’s Botanical Garden is located at Azakhel, District Nowshera,

between 340 -15/ and 340-31/ N latitude and 71.33 to 44 E longitude at an altitude of 290 m.
Sunflower was cultivated during June, 2011 and it was considered appropriate to enlist the
weeds of sunflower as a first ever record. Weeds offer competition, allelopathy, habitats for
harmful organisms, problems during harvesting, plowing and management of lands. All these
factors lead to the overall reduction in the quality and quantity of crop production. For any
ecological management, the proper identification and assessment of flora has always been a
pre-requisite. Qureshi & Memon (2008) reported 33 weed species of 30 genera and 15 families
in five sunflower growing areas of Sukkur and Khairpur, Sindh. The findings will help in the
management of weeds.

Materials and Methods

Field survey was conducted during July, 2011 to record the weeds of sunflower crop
cultivated in the University of Peshawar’s Botanical Garden. Weeds were classified into
various life-form and leaf-size classes after Raunkiaer (1934) and Hussain (1989).
Phenologically plants were classified into reproductive and vegetative stages. Plants were
identified with the help of flora of Pakistan (Ali & Nasir, 1971-1995; Ali & Qaiser, 1995-
2011). The weed specimens were deposited in Herbarium Botanical Garden.