The flora of highly degraded and vulnerable wetland ecosystems of Nyamuriro and Doho, Uganda

Abstract

AbstractThe wetlands of Nyamuriro and Doho were surveyed for their flora during the period August 2001 and May 2002. These two wetlands are highly degraded through cultivation. The plants in these areas were documented with a view to determining their richness and conservation importance in Uganda. Two hundred and eight species were recorded in 140 genera, 63 families and 37 orders in Nyamuriro while 184 species, 109 genera, 39 families and 27 orders were recorded in Doho. Although there are no species of global priority conservation concern, these wetlands harbour reasonable numbers of plant species, some of them rare, for their size. Nyamuriro has five species of restricted range in the country occurring in only one of the four floristic regions. Adenostemma caffrum DC. var. longifolium Chiov., from Nyamuriro, is a new record for Uganda. Typically high‐elevation species absent in most wetlands in Uganda, were recorded in Nyamuriro. Plants rare in Uganda were recorded from both Doho and Nyamuriro. These two wetland ecosystems are therefore still vital for the country's flora in terms of species richness, rarity and uniqueness. Nyamuriro needs urgent action to reverse the current trend of habitat loss and degradation. Doho was severely altered and there is a little chance for restoration.