Study on Vascular Plant Species Found in Jega Local Government Areas, Kebbi State, Nigeria, West Tropical Africa

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1 Article International Journal of Modern Plant & Animal Sciences, 2015, 3(1): International Journal of Modern Plant & Animal Sciences Journal homepage: ISSN: Florida, USA Study on Vascular Plant Species Found in Jega Local Government Areas, Kebbi State, Nigeria, West Tropical Africa Dharmendra Singh Department of Biological Sciences, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology Aliero, PMB: 1144, Nigeria Phone no: Article history: Received 15 February 2015, Received in revised form 19 March 2015, Accepted 23 March 2015, Published 24 March Abstract: This study was enumerates the outcome of vascular plants found in Jega Local Government, areas of Kebbi state Nigeria between October 2013 to August After thorough study on 200 field numbers, the identified taxa have been found to be spread about 34 families, 40 genera and 54 species of angiospermic plants. They are Acanthaceae 2 species, Amaranthaceae 2 species, Anacardiaceae 2 species, Annonaceae 1 species, Arecaceae 1 species, Asclepiadaceae 1 species, Asteraceae 4 species, Balanitaceae 1 species, Bombacaceae 1 species, Caesalpiniaceae 6 species, Capparaceae 1 species, Combrataceae 2 species, Commelinaceae 1 species, Cucurbitaceae 1 species, Cyperaceae 1 species, Euphorbiaceae 2 species, Lamiaceae 1 species, Lythraceae 1 species, Malvaceae 4 species, Meliaceae 1 species, Mimosaceae 1 species, Moringaceae 1 species, Myrtaceae 1 species, Nymphaeaceae 1 species, Papilionaceae 2 species, Portulacaceae 1 species, Rhamnaceae 1 species, Rubiaceae 1 species, Rutaceae 1 species, Sapotaceae 1 species, Solanaceae 2 species, Sterculiaceae 1 species, Tiliaceae 2 species and Verbenaceae 1 species. Keywords: Vascular Plants, Jega Local Government, Kebbi State 1. Introduction Vascular plants known as tracheophytes higher plants, form a large group of plants that are defined as those land plants that have lignified tissues (the xylem) for conducting water and minerals

2 34 throughout the plant. They also have (non-lignified) tissue to conduct products of photosynthesis. The vascular plant are also the most visible of all plant groups, they are all around us and include those colourful wild flowers, weeds, and garden plants that we are all familiar with, such as wild roses cacti, lupines, delphiniums and many more. The diversity of plants is an essential underpinning of most of our terrestrial ecosystems. Humans and most other animals are almost totally dependent on plants, directly or indirectly, as a source of energy through their ability to convert the sun energy through photosynthesis. Worldwide thousands of species of higher plants, and several hundred lower plants, are currently used by humans for a wide diversity purposes as food, fuel, oil, herbs, fibres industrial crop and as forage and fodder for domestic animals. In the tropic alone it has been estimated that 25, species are used (Heywood 1992) and up to 25,000 species have been used in traditional medicines. In addition many thousands of species are grown as ornamentals in park, public and private gardens, as street trees and for shade and shelter. Another important role plants life is the provision of ecosystem services the protection of watersheds, stabilization of slope improvement of soils, moderation of climate and the provision of a habitat for much of our would fauna (Heywood, 1992). The publication of Flora of West Africa by (Hutchinson and Dalziel 1963) was followed by two national floras by (Stanfield, 1970) for Grasses of Nigeria (Lowe and Stanfield 1974) for Flora of Nigeria (Sedges). Later on some aspect of studies in floridiversity of Kebbi state, Nigeria by (Singh et al., 2010), towards making a flora of Kebbi state, Nigeria by (Singh and Misra 2013 a,b ). Morphotaxonomic and Ethno medicinal flora of Kebbi state, Nigeria by (Singh and Abubakar 2011a,b,c). 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Sampling Area The study area is Jega Local Government Area, Kebbi State Nigeria. Term kasar jega should not be confused with either jega district or jega Local government. The areas are presently constituted. Rather, kasar Jega is synonymous with eleven district spread among two Local Government Area namely; Jega and Maiyama. These district is presently is constituted are Jega, Kimba, Alelu, Basaura, Maiyama, Andarai, Karaye, Mungadi, Mayalo and Jan-dutsi, the whole area lies within latitude 12 0, 13 0 and longitude 4 0, 5 0 east (Suleiman, 2008) Topography The topography of the area generally characterize the famous Sokoto plain. The entire rima drainage basin lies within two district landscapes or geographical regions, a region of pre-combarian

3 35 rock made up of older cretaceous type known as Gundumi and Rima Illo series and a region of young sedimentary rock of Eocene age known as the calcareous and Gwandu group (Suleiman, 2008) Climatic Condition The climate condition of kasar Jega is synonymous with that which obtains in Kebbi and Sokoto regions. Rainfall which is an important of climate in so far as agriculture is concerned, occupies the period starting mid-may to mid-september in which generally known as wet season. This attains mean annual rainfalls of between 500 mm to 1,300 mm with a heavy concentration in the month of august which is locally known as Malka. The wet season is followed by the dry season which is commences from September to April. The dry season is characterized few or new absence of vegetation cover and non-incidence of rainfall. It is a period of low agricultural activities mainly restricted to fadama (flood plain) lands (Suleiman 2008) Plants Collection The plants specimens should be collected from different localities and habitats in every stage of their growth and reproduction. A complete specimen possesses all part of plants including root system. The plants specimen should be usually in flowering stage. The specimen collected most be tagged immediately and record about localities most also be noted (Jain and Rao 1978) Pressing and Drying of Plants The plants should press in between the sheet of blotting papers or old newspapers. One plant be arranged on one sheet in a manner that there should be no overlapping of plants (Jain and Rao 1978). The blotting papers with plant specimen were placed in field press for about 24 to 48 hours. The press is then opened blotting should be change and rearrange the plants properly. After it press should be again closed and again after 2 or 3 days change the blotting and dry plants in sunlight or artificial heat (Jain and Rao 1978) Mounting and Labelling of the Specimens After drying, the specimen most be mounted for permanent record on sheet called mounting papers on herbarium sheets. The specimen are mounted to the sheet with the help of fevicol or quick drying liquid paste after mounting the specimens on the herbarium sheet, each sheet should be labelled. A label is pasted or printed on lower right-hand corner, compressed in plant press to prevent them from drying and this press herbarium were house in the herbarium of Department Of Biological Sciences, Kebbi State, Nigeria for record and references

4 36 3. Justification of Research The vegetation of Jega Local Government Area (Fig. 1) is often not recorded by previous researcher (Hutchinson and Dalziel 1963). Consequently most of researcher is not aware of which type of plant species found there. Fig. 1: Map of Jega Local Government area, Kebbi State, Nigeria 4. Enumeration of the Taxa The present investigation enumerates the taxa during floristic studies into varied localities of Jega Local Government, Kebbi State Nigeria, between October 2013 and August After a thorough study on 200 field numbers, the identified taxa have been found to be spread about 54 species and 40 genera of 34 families, these have been arranged in an alphabetical order, and the same pattern has been followed in arranging lower order taxa under each family.

5 37 (1) ACANTHACEAE I. Hypoetes verticillaris (Linn. F) River bank bayan gindi Jega, D.Singh : II. Peristrope bicalyculata (Retz) Nees Jega, D.Singh : I. Amaranthus blitum L. River bank, Jega, D.Singh : 1009 II. Amaranthus spinosus L. Alelu, D.Singh :1006. (2) AMARANTHACEAE (3) ANACARDIACEAE I. Anacardium occidentale L. Fadaman land. Gadan Omo Jega, D.Singh : 1055 II. Sclerocarya birrae (A.Rich) Hochst. Jega, D.Singh : I. Annona squamosa L. Jega, D.Singh : (4) ANNONACEAE I. Borassus aethiopum Mart. Farm land. Jega, D.Singh : (5) ARECACEAE (6) ASCLEPIADACEAE

6 38 I. Calotropis procera (L) R.Br. Kimba, D.Singh : (7) ASTRACEAE/COMPOSITAE I. Acanthuspermum hispidum D.C Road side. Jega, Kimba, D.Singh : II. Bidens pilosa L. River bank, Alelu, D.Singh : III. Centaurea calcitrapa L. Alelu, D.Singh : IV. Vernonia cinera L. Jega, D.Singh : I. Balanites aegyptiaca D.C Jega. D.Singh : (8) BALANITACEAE I. Ceiba pentandra L. Along the road. Jega, D.Singh: (9) BOMBACACEAE I. Bauhinia refuscens Lam Road side. Jega, Alel, D.Singh : II. Cassia arerah L. Road side. Jega, Alelu, D.Singh : III. Cassia kotschyana Oliv. (10) CAESALPINIACEAE

7 39 Gadan Omo Jega, D.Singh : IV. Cassia occidentalis L. Gadan Omo Jega, D.Singh : V. Cassia tora L. Alelu, D.Singh : VI. Pilostigma thonningii Sch. Gadan Omo, D.Singh : (11) CAPPARACEAE I. Cleome viscosa L. Kimba, Sunusi Sani: II. Gynandropsis gynandra (L) Briq. Kimba, D.Singh : (12) COMBRETACEAE I. Combretum micranthum G.Dom. Fadama Land. Nasarawa Jega, D.Singh : II. Gueira senegalensis (L) Briq Ruwan kanwa Jega, D.Singh : (13) COMMELINACEAE I. Commelina benghalensis L. Road side. Kimba village, D.Singh : I. Citrallus lanatus Thumb. (14) CURCUBITACEAE

8 40 Nasarawa Jega, D.Singh : I. Cyperus rotundus L. Alelu, D.Singh : (15) CYPARACEAE (16) EUPHORBIACEAE I. Euphorbia hirta L. Road side. Kimba village, D.Singh : II. Phyllathus pentedrus Sch and Thonn. Kimba village, D.Singh : I. Leucas martiniensus R.Br Jega, D.Singh : (17) LAMIACEAE/ LABITAE (18) LYTHRACEAE I. Lawsonia innermis L. Gadan Omo Jega, D.Singh : (19) MALVACEAE I. Abutilon crispus L. Nasarawa Jega, D.Singh : II. Gossypium arboreum R.E.F Gulbin Alelu vilage, D.Singh : III. Hibiscus asper Haook. F Kimba road, D.Singh : 1014 IV. Sida corymbosa R,E.F

9 41 Jega to Kimba road, D.Singh : (20) MELIACEAE I. Azadirachta indica Juss. Ruwan kanwa Jega, D.Singh : (21) MIMOSACEAE I. Acacia sieberiana DC River Bank. Bayan Gindi Jega, D.Singh: I. Moringa oliefera Lam. Kimba road, D.Singh : (22) MORINGACEAE (23) MYRTACEAE I. Eucalyptus camaldulensis Schletcht Farm land. Kimba, Jega road, D.Singh : (24) NYMPHAEACEAE I. Nympheae naucholi Burm.f Alelu river, Alelu, D.Singh : (25) PAPILIONACEAE/FABACEAE I. Rynchosia minima (L) D.C Bayan gindi Jega, D.Singh : II. Vigna unguiculata L. Gadan Omo Jega, D.Singh : (26) PORTULACEAE

10 42 I. Portulaca meridiana L.f Fadama land Nasarawa, Jega, D.Singh : (27) RHAMNACEAE I. Zizyphus abyssinica H.ex.A.Rich Fadama land, Jega, Kimba road, D.Singh: I. Mitracarpus villosus (SW) D.C Fadama land; Jega, D.Singh : (28) RUBIACEAE I. Citrus limon Burn.f Fadama land Nasarawa, Jega, D.Singh : (29) RUTACEAE I. Vitallaria paradoxa Guertn.f Fadama land, Jega, D.Singh : (30) SAPOTACEAE I. Physalis divaricata D.don Kimba, D.Singh : II. Solanum nigrum L. Jega, D.Singh : (31) SOLANACEAE (32) STERCULIACEAE I. Waltheria indica L. Fadama land, Ruwan Kanwa Jega, D.Singh : 1062.

11 43 (33) TILIACEAE I. Corchorus aestuans L. Near Gindi road Jega, D.Singh : II. Triumfetta cordifolia A. Rich Jega, D.Singh : I. Vitex doniana (Sweet) Farm land. Kimba road, D.Singh : (34) VERBENACEAE NOTE: D.Singh (Dharmendra Singh) is name of collector s. 5. Discussion and Results In these studies 34 families and 54 species were documented. As analyzed statistically, trees have the lower numbers of 26 species compare to both shrubs and herbs. Most of the species encountered during these studies have some special futures that help them to withstand long drought period and also resist high rate of transpiration, as a species of Zizyphus abyssinica and Azadirachta indica the resistance of drought, fire and high rate of transpiration by these species of the plants is achieved through their small leaves, thick hard bark and thorns. The bark of almost all species of plants in savannah region is very thick, probably for these accounts for their tolerance of fire. 6. Conclusion There were 34 families of Angiosperm found in the study area 40 genera and 54 species. The 11 dominant families of plants species identified in this study were: Acantaceae 2 species, Amaranthaceae 2 species Astraceae/Compositae 4 species, Caesalpiniaceae 6 species, Capparaceae 2 species Combretaceae 2 species, Euphobiaceae 2 species, Malvaceae 4 species, Papilionaceae/Fabaceae 2 species, Solanaceae 2 species and Tiliaceae 2 species. The 2 dominant genera are; Amaranthus 2 species and Caesalpiniaceae 4 species. The knowledge of diversity of vascular plants is an essential underpinning of most of the terrestrial ecosystem. Humans and most other animals are almost totally depending on plants, directly or indirectly, as a source of energy through their ability to convert the sun s the source energy through photosynthesis.

12 44 Acknowledgements Author is grateful to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Abuja, Nigeria for financial support and also gratefully acknowledge to the working facilities provided by the Department of Biological Sciences, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology Aliero, Kebbi State, Nigeria References Heywood, A. (1992). Research and collection of herbarium Department of Botany. U.S National herbarium Pp Hutchinson, J and Dalziel, J.M (1963). Flora of West Tropical Africa Vol, 1, 2, and 3. Revised by R.J.W. Crown Agent for overseas Government, U.K. Jain, S.K and Rao, R.R (1978). Hand book 0f field and Herbarium methods. Today and Tomorrow printers and publishers. New Delhi. Indian. Pp Lowe, J. and Stanfield, D.P (1974). Flora of Nigeria (Sedges). University of Ibadan press, Ibadan Nigeria. Singh, D. Misra, B. K. & Abubakar, A. (2010). Some aspects of the studies in floridiversity of Kebbi State, Nigeria, West Tropical Africa-I. Biological and Environmental Sciences Journal for the Tropics, 10(4): Singh, D. & Abubakar, A. (2011 a). Morpho-Taxonomic and Ethno-Medicinal Aspects of Flora in Kebbi State, North-Western Nigeria. Biological and Environmental Sciences Journal or the Tropics, 8(2): Singh, D. & Abubakar, A. (2011 b). Study of Weed Flora of Kebbi State, Nigeria, West Tropical Africa. Journal of Biological Sciences and Bioconservation, 2: Singh, D. & Abubakar, A. (2011 c). Morpho-Taxonomic and Ecological study of Aloe vera Tourn. EX L. species found in Kebbi State, Nigeria, West Tropical Africa. Journal of Phytological Research, 24(2): Singh, D & Misra, B.K. (2013 a). Towards Making a Flora of Kebbi State, Nigeria parts: 2, West Africa. Biological and Environmental Sciences Journal or the Tropics, 10(4): Singh, D. & Abubakar, M. (2013 b). Study of the Ethno-medicinal Flora in the Aliero Local Government Area, Kebbi State, Nigeria. National Journal of Life Sciences, 10(2): Stanfield, D.P (1970). Flora of Nigeria, Grasses. University of Ibadan press, Ibadan, Nigeria. Suleiman Khalid (2008). A Jega social economic and political history. Jega, Nigeria