The study of floral activities and flowering calendar of some selected plant taxa in Akoko environment, Ondo State, Nigeria

Benjamin Christopher Essien

doi:10.30574/gscarr.2020.4.1.0056

Authors

Benjamin Christopher Essien Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30574/gscarr.2020.4.1.0056

Keywords:

Phenological, Floral activities, Flowering calendar, Akoko environment, Nigeria

Abstract

The patterns of phonological events of an area are variously used for characterization of the vegetation type. Phonological study has great significance because it does not only provide information about the plant growth pattern but it also provides an idea, baseline information and data on the effect of environment and selective pressure on flowering and fruiting behaviour among others. The determination of the floral activities of the flora present in the study environment was carried out using normal random distribution technique and results showed that fourty (40) plant taxa of the vegetation were sampled for various flowering periods in a calendar year and based on their flowering pattern, were placed into five main groups: those that flowered just once, twice, thrice, more than thrice in a calendar year and those that flower nearly all year round. Three (3) species were found to flower once; seven (7) species flower twice; three (3) species flower thrice; twenty-five (25) species flower more than thrice in a calendar year and the other two (2) species flowers nearly all year round. Most flowering activities were recorded in the months of January, February and March whereas the months of August, September and October recorded least flowering activities. Most interestingly, the flowering activities were recorded in all the twelve (12) months in a year calendar. Study provides knowledge about the plants flowering calendar and also gives an insight on the effect of environmental conditions with selective pressure on flowering affecting the behaviour of the plants species thus showing how food is produced throughout the year in the area.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Sowunmi MA. (1987). Palynological studies in the Niger Delta. In: E.J. Alagoa, F.N. Anozie and Nwanna Nzewunwa (Eds.). The early history of the Niger Delta. Helmat Buske Verlag Hamburg, 29-59.

Opler PA, Frankie GW and Baker HG. (1980). Comparative phenological studies of treelet and shrubs species in tropical wet and dry forests in the lowlands of Costa Rica. Journal of Ecology, 68, 167-188.

Essien BC. (2019). The Study of Quaternary Airborne Palynomorphs in Akoko Environment, Ondo State, Nigeria. PhD Thesis, Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba- Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria, 493.

Ige OE and Essien BC. (2019). The applications of pollen analysis in environmental monitoring in Akoko North-East Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria. GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 8 (1), 64-77.

Dewald LE and Steiner KC. (1986). Phenology, height increment and cold tolerance of Alnus glutinosa population in a common environment. Silvae Genetica, 35, 205-211.

Hamann A. (2004). Flowering and fruiting phenology of a Philippine submontane rain forest: climatic factors as proximate and ultimate causes. Journal of Ecology, 92, 24-31.

Borchert R. (1983). Phenology and control of flowering in tropical trees. Biotropica, 15, 81-89.

Croat TB. (1975). Phenological behaviour of habit and habitat classes on Barro Colorado Island (Panama canal zone). Biotropica, 7, 270 - 277.

Sun C, Kaplin BA, Kristensen KA, Munyallgoga AJ, Mvuklyumwami J, Kajonda KK and Moermond TC. (1996). Tree phenology in a tropical montane forest in Rwanda. Biotropica, 28, 668-681.

Boojh R and Ramakrishnan PS. (1981). Phenology of tree in sub-tropical evergreen Monta forest in Northeast India. Geo-Eco-Trop, 5, 189-209.

Kikim A and Yadava PS. (2001). Phenology of tree species in subtropical forests of Manipur in north eastern India. Tropical Ecology, 42, 269-276.

Ralhan PK, Khanna RK, Singh SP and Singh JS. (1985). Phenological characteristics of the tree layer of Kumaun Himalayan forests. Vegetation, 60, 91-101.

Sundriyal RC. (1990). Phenology of some temperate woody species of the Garhwal Himalaya. International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 6, 107-117.

Khan JA. (1999). Periodicity of major phenophages in woody species in dry deciduous forests of Gir, India. Tropical Ecology, 40, 299-303.

Kushwaha CP and Singh KP. (2005). Diversity of leaf phenology in a tropical deciduous forest in India. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 21, 47-56.

Zhang G, Song Q and Yang D. (2006). Phenology of Ficus racemosa in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China. Biotropica, 38: 334-341.

Singh KP and Kushwaha CP. (2005). Emerging paradigms of tree phenology in dry tropics. Current Science, 89, 964-975.

Karmer K. (1997). Phenology and growth of European trees in relation to climate change. In: Leith, H. and Schwartz, M.D. (Eds.) Phenology of Seasonal Climates I. Bakhuys, The Netherlands, 50.

Borchert R, Rivera G and Hagnauer W. (2002). Modification of vegetative phenology in a tropical semi-deciduous forest by abnormal drought and rain. Biotropica, 34, 27-39.

Borchert R and Rivera G. (2001). Photoperiodic control of seasonal development and dormancy in tropical stem-succulent trees. Tree Physiology, 21, 213-221.

Tormo R, Silva I, Gonzalo A, Moreso A, Perez R and Fernandez S. (2011). Phenological records as a complement to aerobiological data. International Journal of Biometeorology, 55, 51-65.

Giorgi F. (2002). Variability and trends of sub-continental scale surface climate in the twentieth century. Part I: observations. Climate Dynamics, 18(8), 675-691.

Chuine I and Beaubien EG. (2001). Phenology is a major determinant of tree species range. Ecology Letters, 4(5), 500-510.

Eamus D and Prior L. (2001). Ecophysiology of trees of seasonally dry tropics: comparisons among phenologies. In: Advances in Ecological Research, Vol. 32, Caswell, H. (Ed.). Academic Press-Elsevier, London, 113-197.

Usman SS. (1990). Ecological studies of Opi Lake savanna woodland. Ph.D Thesis, Department of Botany, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 202p.

Hemen TJ. (2015). Ecological studies of the derived savanna at Egume, Kogi State, Nigeria. Ph.D Thesis, Department of Biological Sciences, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria, 180.

Erdtman G. (1969). Handbook of Palynology. Muntisguard, Copenhagen, 280 - 285.

Agwu COC and Akanbi TO. (1985). A palynological study of honey from four vegetation zones of Nigeria. Pollen et Spores, 27, 335-348.

Paul E, Essien BC, Idachaba SO, Edegbo E and Tamenku MM. (2014). Comparative Study of Pollen Morphology of some members of Euphorbiaceae Family. Standard Research Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2(4), 045- 058.

Bonnefille R and Riollet G. (1980). Pollen des savanna d’Afrique orientale. Anatole Press, Paris, France, 1- 140.

Sowunmi MA. (1995). Pollen of Nigerian plants II. Grana, 34, 120 -141.

Shubharani R, Roopa P and Sivaram V. (2013). Pollen morphology of selected bee forage plants. Global Journal of Bio-Science and Biotechnology, 2(1), 82- 90.

Molina, RT, Palacios IS, Rodriguez, AFM, Munoz JT and Corcheros AM. (2001). Environmental factors affecting airborne pollen concentration in anemophilous species of Plantago. Annals of Botany, 87, 1- 8.

Jato V, Mendez J, Rodriguez-Rajo J and Seijo C. (2002). The relationship between the flowering phenophase and airborne pollen of Betula in Galicia (N.W. Spain). Aerobiologia, 18, 55-64.

Njokuocha RC. (2006). Airborne pollen grains in Nsukka, Nigeria. Grana, 45, 73-80.