FLORISTIC COMPOSITION, LIFE-FORMS AND BIOLOGICAL SPECTRUM OF WADI BANA FROM BATESS TO JA'AR OF ABYAN DELTA, KHANFAR DISTRICT, ABYAN GOVERNORATE, YEMEN

Abstract

The valleys (Wadies) are one of the important areas in Abyan Governorate, as they contain a rich diversity of plants. The study area in Abyan Governorate is characterized by a number of large and small valleys that differ in nature from one place to another. The study area (Wadi Bana) extends approximately 25 kilometers and is distinguished by the regular flow of floodwaters during certain seasons, which has led to the enrichment and diversity of the plant cover. The study was conducted from October 2023 to April 2024, and 13 study sites were identified along the valley to determine the floristic composition, life form, and biological spectrum. Plant samples were collected for each species from each site, with the coordinates of each site determined using a GPS device. A total of 76 plants species belonging to 65 genera within 32 plant families are the Asteraceae (9 genera and 12 species), Poaceae (9genera and 10 species), and Solanaceae (4genera and 4 species). The result of the biological spectrum indicated that therophytes constitute the highest percentage (28%) and are dominant in the study area, followed by chamaephytes (26%), Hemicryptophytes (17%), phanerophytes (16%), and Geophytes (13%). The dominance of both therophytes and chamaephytes indicates that the biological spectrum of life forms in the study area desert characteristic.