Phytogeographical Analysis Research Articles

Historical climate change and vicariance events contributed to the intercontinental disjunct distribution pattern of ash species (Fraxinus, Oleaceae)

The Northern Hemisphere temperate forests exhibit a disjunct distributional pattern in Europe, North America, and East Asia. Here, to reveal the promoter of intercontinental disjunct distribution, Fraxinus was used as a model organism to integrate abundant fossil evidence with high-resolution phylogenies in a phytogeographic analysis. We constructed a robust phylogenetic tree using genomic data, reconstructed the geographic ancestral areas, and evaluated the effect of incorporating fossil information on the reconstructed biogeographic history. The phylogenetic relationships of Fraxinus were highly resolved and divided into seven clades. Fraxinus originated in western North America during Eocene, and six intercontinental dispersal events and five intercontinental vicariance events were occured. Results suggest that climate change and vicariance contributed to the intercontinental disjunct distribution pattern of Fraxinus. Moreover, results highlight the necessity of integrating phylogenetic relationship and fossil to improve the reliability of inferred biogeographic events and our understanding of the processes underlying disjunct distributions.

Plant diversity on the edge: floristics, phytogeography, fire responses, and plant conservation of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve in the context of OCBIL theory

Context There have been few long-term studies of the flora, phenology, and ecology of specific reserves in the species-rich flora of the Southwest Australian Floristic Region. Aims This project, extending over five decades, aimed to develop an authoritative flora list and acquire data on phenology, threatened species, endemism, old and young landscapes, phytogeography, old lineages, and fire responses at Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve. Methods The study used botanical collection on repeat surveys, herbarium studies, granite outcrop surveys and comparative phytogeographic analyses from maps on the Western Australian Herbarium’s Florabase. Key results Floristic survey recovered 853 taxa, 26% of those known in the Albany local government area. Possibly as many as 950–1000 taxa will be found in the future. The herbarium collections are the second largest of any conservation reserve in the Albany area. Flowering was most evident in spring and least in autumn. Three declared rare species and 20 conservation priority species were identified, as were short-range endemics, old clades, and natural hybrids. Conclusions The flora is dominated by species predominantly from wetter forest regions. Consequently, Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve is correctly placed within the Bibbulmun Botanical Province. Several hypotheses of OCBIL theory (which addresses old, climatically-buffered, infertile landscapes) were supported, with increased local endemism, ancient clades, and reduced rates of natural hybridisation identified for the granite inselberg OCBIL Maardjitup Gurlin/Mt Gardner. Implications Long term studies are invaluable for plant inventory. Continuing the minimal use of prescribed burning is advocated from plant data, in support of approaches to help conserve threatened animals.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF WEED FLORA IN MAIZE FIELDS IN THE AREA OF NOVI GRAD (REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA, B&H)

<p>Knowledge of the weed flora of a certain area, as well as knowledge of the relationship between cultivated plants and weed plants, is important for successful weed control and the efficient application of agrotechnical measures. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the weed flora in maize fields in the area of Novi Grad, as well as a taxonomic analysis, an analysis of the biological spectrum, a phytogeographical analysis and an analysis of ecological indicators of the maize weed flora. During field research on two maize fields in the area of Donji Rakani village (Novi Grad), a total of 38 species of vascular plants were collected, which were systematized into 35 genera and 16 families. The most abundant in terms of species numbers were the families Compositae (31.58%) and Poaceae (18.42%), as well as the genera <em>Erigeron</em>, <em>Ranunculus </em>and <em>Setaria</em>. Hemicryptophytes (36.84%) and therophytes (31.58%) dominated the biological spectrum. Phytogeographical analysis revealed the dominance of the Eurasian (25.81%) floral element. A total of seven adventive species were recorded. The paper also presents the results of the analysis of ecological indicators for soil moisture, soil reaction, nutrients, light and temperature. The results of our research contribute to a better knowledge of the weed flora in maize fields, which could be useful for creating more efficient weed control measures.</p>

The flora of the island of Rivanj and the vegetation of the macchia and forest of Rivanj and the Sestrice islets

According to literature data and field research conducted in 2019 and 2020, there are 346 vascular native and non-native taxa with the ability to survive outside crops (309 species, 36 subspecies and varieties) on the island of Rivanj (3,615 km2). Including 84 taxa in cultivation, we state that the total flora of Rivanj numbers 430 taxa. Those in cultivation are not included in the flora analysis. During earlier research, 45 taxa were recorded, while 385 taxa are listed for the first time in this work. In addition to the flora inventory, a taxonomic, ecological and phytogeographical analysis was performed. The results are presented in Tables 1–4 and Figure 2. The composition of the flora is dominated by angiosperms, in which dicotyledons (73.99%) are significantly more common than monocotyledons (23.99%). The flora also includes two ferns and 5 gymnosperms. By the number of taxa, the most represented families are Poaceae (13.01%), Asteraceae s.l. (11.85%) and Fabaceae (8.96%). The spectrum of life forms is dominated by therophytes (43.93%) and hemicryptophytes (24.28%), while plants of the Mediterranean floral element (42.77%) dominate in the phytogeographical analysis, which indicates the climatic conditions and geographical position of the island of Rivanj. Four endemics and four endangered taxa (Lathyrus ochrus – critically endangered, Carex extensa – endangered and two vulnerable taxa: Orchis tridentata and Parapholis incurva) were recorded in the flora, as well as five orchid. Eleven invasive taxa were recorded in the weed and ruderal vegetation of the settlement (3.18% of the total flora of the island). The investigation of the macchia and forest vegetation of the island of Rivanj and the islets of Sestrice was conducted in 2019 and 2020. The relevés were produced and analyzed according to the Braun-Blanquet method. Thirty relevés presenting the vegetation of the Quercetea ilicis and Pinetea halepensis classes were statistically analyzed and their dendrogram created. The results are shown in Tables 5–7 in accordance with the classic presentation regarding phytosociological relevés. Through the syntaxonomic analysis the Erico arboreae-Arbutetum unedonis Allier et Lacoste 1980 ex Foggi in Foggi et Grigioni 1999, Myrto communis-Pistacietum lentisci (Molinier 1954) Rivas-Martínez 1975, Pistacio lentisci-Juniperetum turbinatae Trinajstić 1987 ex Asensi, Díez-Garretas & Quézel 2007 and Myrto communis-Quercetum ilicis (Horvatić 1963) Trinajstić (1976) 1985 associations from the Quercetea ilicis class and the Pistacio lentisci-Pinetum halepensis De Marco, Veri & Caneva 1984 association. The autochthonous macchia and forest vegetation is mostly endangered by planted community of Aleppo pine on the islet of Mala Sestrica and on smaller areas on the island of Rivanj. North-west of the settlements on the Rivanj island a thick and impassable macchia grows. It is necessary to clear out the firefighting access paths and ban all activities that might cause fire.

Trouble in the rice field: Distribution ecology and indicator value of weed species in the rice fields of Himalayan region

Field-based evaluation of indicator weed species in agriculture systems is effective for developing site-specific weed management. Because of anthropogenic activities and climate change, new weeds are invading agricultural fields. The current study examined the weed species in agricultural fields with a focus on diversity, distribution ecological patterns, and identification of indicator species, all of which might help in effective weed management practices. Following the calculation of the Importance Value Index for each weed species, ordination, and indicator species analysis were conducted. We collected vegetation data through random sampling, and the current study recorded 47 species, taxonomically distributed across 41 genera and 19 families. Asteraceae with 13% of species was the leading family followed by Poaceae, and Brassicaceae (11% each). Annual weed species with 49% were the dominant life span category. The phytogeographical analysis revealed that the highest number (28 species) recorded from the study area were native, while 19 species were alien. Of the total alien species, 4 were invasive, and 14 were naturalised and one species Bassia scoparia was casual. The diversity indices show significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) in weeds in rice fields recorded from the study area. Detrended correspondence analysis grouped the species Geranium rotundifolium, Sisymbrium loeselii, Mentha longifolia, Rumex dentatus, Amaranthus viridis on the extreme left side suggest a low score on axis 1 and a high score on axis 2. The analysis of indicator species revealed a significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) in agriculture fields across the sampled sites. According to the indicator species analysis, Poa annua, Persicaria hydropiper, Ranunculus sceleratus, and Echinochloa colona were the key weed species found in the study area. This investigation might aid weed management strategies to minimize crop losses and increase of rice production to fulfill the current food requirement.

Flora of the important landscape “Zelinska glava” (Eastern Medvednica Mt., Central Croatia)

The area of “Zelinska glava”, under the protection of the Public Institution “Green Ring of Zagreb County (Zeleni prsten Zagrebačke županije)”, covers an area of 9.5 km². Research into the area’s vascular flora was conducted during the growing seasons of 2019 and 2020. A total of 330 taxa of vascular flora were recorded, classified within 82 plant families. Fourteen species of bryophytes were added to the list of vascular flora. The most common families are Compositae (13%), Fabaceae (7%), Rosaceae (7%) and Lamiaceae (6%). The analysis according to habitats shows that the most species inhabit forest edges along paths (51%), followed by meadows (18%). Phytogeographic analysis shows that the Eurasian floristic element dominates (45%), followed by cultivated and adventive plants (10%). Regarding life forms, the largest number of taxa belong to hemicryptophytes (51%). According to the Red Book of Croatian Vascular Flora, 12 taxa belong to one of the threat categories. Eight taxa are strictly protected by law, seven of them belonging to the Orchidaceae family. A total of eight invasive species were recorded in the study area.

Ancestors of Ulmus parvifolia from late Miocene sediments in Yunnan, Southwest China and its future distribution

We describe a new elm from Miocene sediments of Southwest China and perform phytogeographical analyses and species distribution modeling. Samaras of U. palaeoparvifolia sp. nov. were collected from late Miocene sediments of the Xiaolongtan Formation in Huaning, Yunnan, Southwest China are obovate-elliptic with surrounding wings. Perianth is persistent and the tepals are lanceolate, and the seed is positioned in the center or upper part of the fruit. The pedicel is shorter than the perianth. The fruits are very similar to those of U. parvifolia (Chinese elm) with respect to size, morphological characters, and seed position. As ancestors of Chinese elm, the appearance of U. palaeoparvifolia in the late Miocene in Huaning indicates that Huaning had a subtropical climate with warmer and more humid summers and its distribution extended more to the west in the late Miocene than at present. However, compared with the current distribution, a bioclimatic model predicts that the optimal distribution of U. parvifolia will shift westward and will be limited to the Qinling area with high altitude in 2100, where the temperature and precipitation will be higher than current values, and will require conservation in the future.

Endemic flora within communities of mountain pine (pinus mugo turra) at metohian prokletije mountain

Metohian Prokletije is marked as one of the main European centers of the Balkan floristic endemism due to their geographical position on the fringe of the Mediterra?nean Sea and complex and diverse geomorphological, geological, orographic and climatic factors. This paper presents the results of long-standing comprehensive floristic researches of endemic flora in the Metohian Prokletije Mt., with particular reference to their high mountain?ous areas over the tree limit where Pinus mugo communities are concentrated. These types of ecosystems represent a transitional zone between the coniferous forests and high mountain bushy and herbaceous vegetation, at an altitude of 1,700 m do 2,400 m. Based on detailed field surveys, 118 Balkan endemic plant taxa within these communities were recorded so far. The phytogeographical analysis showed that the Balkan endemic taxa predominantly belong to the South-European mountainous (SEM) and Central-European mountainous (CEM) chorological groups with the following participation of floristic elements: 1) Dinaric-Scardo-Pindhian-Moesian (44 taxa or 37%), 2) Dinaric-Scardo-Pindhian (40 taxa or 34%), 3) Dinaric (24 taxa or 20%), and 4) Dinaric-Moesian elements (10 taxa or 9%). The biological spectrum was characterized by the prevalence of hemicryptophytes and chamaephytes. The obtained results on the presence of numerous endemic plants in the studied area can increase the interest in further floristic research, while the provided information of the ecological importance as well conservation status of threatened plant communities with Pinus mugo aimed at encouraging more effective biodiversity protection and sustainable management of natural resources.

DIVERSITY OF SPONTANEOUS PLANTS IN PUBLIC GARDENS AT ARID ENVIRONMENTS

Public gardens are necessary to improve the quality of life, and wellbeing of urban residents. The objective of this study was to inventory the floristic diversity of spontaneous species in three sites representing different public gardens in southwestern Algeria. To document all spontaneous species present, a total of 64 quadrats were established in August 2021. To express differences in diversity between sites, the species richness and biological diversity index were used. A total of 375 individuals, representing 15 families, 29 genera, and 31 species were recorded. The family Asteraceae is represented by the highest number of species (7 species) followed by Amaranthaceae and Poaceae (5 species), whereas, 10 families are represented by one species each. Therophytes (58.06%) and Chamephytes (16.13%) are relatively high life forms of the vegetation spectra. Phytogeographical analysis of the vegetation in the area revealed the forte representation of cosmopolitan elements. The ranges of diversity indices observed in the three sites were: Shannon- Weaver index (2.99-3.86), Evenness index (0.76-0.88) and Sørensen coefficient (53%-61%). The application of principal component analysis to the data characterized the ecological gradients responsible for the distribution of these taxa at the level of the three sites. This study contains important information on spontaneous plants in arid environments, which should be integrated into the priority of plant genetic resources valorization programs.

Analysis of taxonomic distinctness and priority conservation areas as a basis for heritage enhancement of floristic diversity: the case of the ‘hotspot’ of the islands of Numidia (North-eastern Algeria)

The identification of priority conservation areas (PCA) plays an important role in biodiversity conservation, but uncertainties create challenges for conservation planning. The objective was to test a method based on 'taxonomic distinctness' (TD) and to identify PCA to quantify the heritage value of a territory and establish the most appropriate conservation measures. The researchers performed a systematic and phytogeographical analysis of ten islands in northeastern Algeria, a biological hotspot with heterogeneous ecosystem types and subject to socio-economic pressures. The biological diversity represented by 223 species in these environments reflects a high rate of endemicity (13%).

A phytogeographic assessment of the Sierra Madre Oriental physiographic province, Mexico

Background: Different regionalizations have been proposed for the Sierra Madre Oriental (SMOR), but none of them have analyzed its full floristic diversity.
 Hypothesis: The geographical distribution of the vascular plant species of the SMOR allows the identification of floristic regions with unique species that identify them as biogeographic units.
 Studied species: Vascular plants.
 Study site: Sierra Madre Oriental physiographic province, Mexico.
 Methods: Plant species distribution was analyzed in 1 × 1° latitude and longitude grid cells. Characteristic species (those with half or more of their known geographical distribution in Mexico in the SMOR) were identified, and a classification method was applied to distinguish biogeographic regions.
 Results: 8,472 species were recorded in the Sierra Madre Oriental, 3,433 of them considered characteristics, of which 2,158 are endemic to Mexico and 585 are considered strictly endemic to the province. The portions of the SMOR in the states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, and San Luis Potosí have a higher species richness and this richness decreases towards the south of the province. Five floristic districts were identified within the SMOR.
 Conclusions: The phytogeographic analysis carried out and its comparison with other regionalizations shows there is still disagreement in the biogeographic delimitation of the Sierra Madre Oriental and to achieve this goal it is necessary to include neighboring provinces in the analyzes, which will allow to identify their unique species and define their biogeographic limits in a more precise way.

Diversity of Plant Communities Associated with Urban Green Spaces in Southwestern Algeria

Urban green spaces are essential to assuring the quality of life. This study aims to study the diversity of plant communities associated with urban green spaces in southwestern Algeria. Based on data collected from 57 phytoecological surveys with an area of 1 m², plant communities were analyzed using diversity parameters (specific richness, biodiversity indices and similarity) and plant functional traits (life forms, morphological, phytogeographical and dispersal types). 32 species belonging to 31 genera in 13 families have been identified. According to the real spectrum (data based on abundance) of plant functional traits, plant species are mainly geophytes (48.27%) which adopt various dispersal strategies, including barochores (71.55%) and anemochores (17.24%). Phytogeographic analysis revealed the dominance of the cosmopolitan element (41.55%) which is well adapted to the Saharan climate. Agglomerative hierarchical clustering of species based on their abundance by Minitab 17 revealed six groups. This work provides important information that can serve as a basis for the management and conservation of biodiversity in southwestern Algeria.

The diversity and distribution of flora of the island of Zlarin (Northern Dalmatia)

The flora of the island of Zlarin was studied in 2019 and mapped using the Central European grid (MTB fields), the area studied consisting of nine MTB 1/64 fields. Altogether 576 vascular plant taxa (532 species and 44 subspecies) were identified, out of which there were 126 newly recorded, 450 previously recorded and confirmed, while 153 taxa from previous authors were not confirmed. In total, 730 taxa are currently recorded on the island of Zlarin. Among these, 580 taxa are indigenous, 147 cultivated and 23 listed as invasive in Croatia. Cultivated and adventitious plants were not included in the analysis of families and life forms. The largest number of taxa was attributed to the families Compositae (13.89%), Fabaceae (12.01%) and Poaceae (10.98%). Along with the domination of therophytes, the results of the phytogeographical analysis show a dominance of the Mediterranean floral element, indicating the character of the flora. Altogether 13 endemic, 44 endangered and 42 strictly protected indigenous species and subspecies are currently recorded on the island. The highest plant richness was observed in fields with higher habitat diversity and in fields with olive groves maintained by mowing. Moderate human impact and habitat diversity are crucial for the increase in floristic diversity on small islands and are much more important than the size of the island itself.

A survey of the section Scapania of the genus Scapania (Scapaniaceae) with description of new species Scapania pseudouliginosa and resurrection of S. gigantea

Morphological, molecular-genetic, and phytogeographic analyses of the type section of the genus Scapania resulted in the description of a new species for science Scapania pseudouliginosa, the resurrection of S. gigantea, and segregation of a new subsection Giganteae, including mainly East Asian taxa with thick- to thin-walled median leaf cells with distinct trigones and a few large oil bodies. The key to species of the section and color photomicrographs of S. gigantea, S. pseudouliginosa and S. sichuanica are provided. Scapania rufidula, S. serrulata, S. sichuanica and S. pseudouliginosa demonstrate morphological parallelism with some species of the sections Compactae, Nemorosae, Stephania, and Curtae, respectively. The distinctions of these species are discussed. The parallelism may have resulted from the similarity of their habitats in different phytogeographic areas.

Bennettitales from the Middle Jurassic of northwestern Oaxaca, Mexico: Diversity, sedimentary environments, and phytogeography

The Jurassic flora of Mexico represents a key element for the knowledge of the paleoflora on the western margin of equatorial Pangea because of its abundance and diversity. Bennettitales were the dominant group and are represented by leaves and reproductive organs in Jurassic outcrops from southern Mexico. This group has been historically recorded in seven lithostratigraphic units in southern Mexico in a range from the Toarcian to the Callovian. These reports have focused on morphological and taxonomical aspects for the obtention of paleofloristic listings by locality but do not provide environmental data or have any impact on biostratigraphic or phytogeographic analyses. The highest number of localities in Mexico has been reported in the state of Oaxaca, where plant fossils are more abundant and better preserved in comparison with localities of Guerrero, Puebla, Veracruz, and Hidalgo states. Therefore, in order to reinforce the paleofloristic knowledge of southern Mexico, the present study documents the diversity of Bennettitales in northwestern Oaxaca region, which is composed of 11 fossil-genera and 41 fossil-taxa, included 30 valid species and 11 species that need taxonomic revision. We provide the description of a new species, Williamsonia sanjuanensis sp. nov., new findings of Williamsonia nathorstii, and the first record of Bennetticarpus for southern Mexico. We also describe fossiliferous outcrops of the Zorrillo and Zorrillo/Taberna undifferentiated formations and propose their sedimentary environments. In addition, we provide a proposal of one biozone based on Bennettitales. Finally, we recognize six spatio-temporal distribution patterns for this plant group in northwestern Oaxaca. These new data add to a growing set of information on the Jurassic flora of Mexico and allow to substantiate the paleobotanic importance of southern Mexico within the region of North America.

Flora and Phytochorology of Lahij Governorate of Yemen: 1- Systematic Revision of Wild Legumes of the Family Fabaceae

The current study presents a revision of the family Fabaceae in the flora of Lahij Governorate, South Yemen. The recorded taxa were systematically revised and life form, lifespan, and phytogeographical affinities were analyzed. 63 taxa belonging to 20 genera of three subfamilies (Caesalpinioideae, Faboideae, and Mimosoideae) were recorded. For each species, accepted name, synonyms (if any), and local distribution are given. Keys to subfamilies, genera, species, and infra-specific taxa of polymorphic species are provided. The recorded taxa consist of 76.19% perennials and 23.81% annuals. Phanerophytes, chamaephytes, and therophytes were the most frequent life forms. Phytogeographical analysis revealed that the Sudano-Zambezian elements are the most dominant, forming the major constituent (¼ of the recorded plants) of the legume floristic structure. The most diverse genera were Acacia s.l. (13 taxa), Indigofera (12 taxa), Tephrosia (7 taxa), Crotalaria, and Senna (6 taxa each), accounting for about 69.84% of the total taxa recorded. Two species (Acacia hunteri Oliv. and Zygocarpum yemenense (J.B.Gillett) Thulin & Lavin) are endemic to Yemen. Besides, six species (Acacia edgeworthii T. Anders., Acacia johnwoodii Boulos, Cadia purpurea (Picc.) Ait., Crotalaria saltiana Andrews, Indigastrum costatum subsp. goniodes (Hochst. ex Baker) Schrire, and Tephrosia heterophylla Vatke) are considered near endemics.

Observations on the floristic, life-form, leaf-size spectra and habitat diversity of vegetation in the Bhimber hills of Kashmir Himalayas

Vegetation analysis provides the prerequisites to understand the overall community structure and function of any ecosystem and is a fundamental requirement for the precise evaluation of biodiversity. Although many studies have assessed floristic attributes of specific areas, there are still unexplored regions, as is the case of the mountain region in the Kashmir Himalayas. Current research highlighted the recent findings of the scientific characterization of floristic and ecological aspects on the forest flora found in the Bhimber hills, Pakistan. Floristically, a total of 93 species belonging to 80 genera in 41 families were recorded. The species distribution patterns across the families were disproportionate with half of the species contributed by 8 families and 25 families were monotypic. Based on the floristic analysis, Asteraceae was the largest family with 12% of species followed by Poaceae with (11%) species. PAST software, a multivariate ecological community analysis was used to classify the species similarities and differences among the different habitat types. According to the habitat wise distribution, 21% of species were growing in the natural forest habitat, while 15% of species were dispersed in highly distributed habitats along roadsides and 8% on pedestrians. In terms of functional diversity, the herbaceous growth form was dominant (58%). The biological spectrum revealed therophytes as the dominant life form as it indicates the disturbed habitat vegetation. The phytogeographical analysis revealed that the maximum (69%) species were native, while the minimum (31%) species were exotic. Thus, the study of these functional and habitat diversity patterns can significantly improve our understanding of the ecological aspects of the flora in the geographical location. This information may additionally be useful in devising management plans to ensure sustainable utilization and better management of forest landscapes in this Himalayan region.

Phytogeographical Analysis and Ecological Factors of the Distribution of Orchidaceae Taxa in the Western Carpathians (Local study).

In the years 2018–2020, we carried out large-scale mapping in the Western Carpathians with a focus on determining the biodiversity of taxa of the family Orchidaceae using field biogeographical research. We evaluated the research using phytogeographic analysis with an emphasis on selected ecological environmental factors (substrate: ecological land unit value, soil reaction (pH), terrain: slope (°), flow and hydrogeological productivity (m2.s−1) and average annual amounts of global radiation (kWh.m–2). A total of 19 species were found in the area, of which the majority were Cephalenthera longifolia, Cephalenthera damasonium and Anacamptis morio. Rare findings included Epipactis muelleri, Epipactis leptochila and Limodorum abortivum. We determined the ecological demands of the abiotic environment of individual species by means of a functional analysis of communities. The research confirmed that most of the orchids that were studied occurred in acidified, calcified and basophil locations. From the location of the distribution of individual populations, it is clear that they are generally arranged compactly and occasionally scattered, which results in ecological and environmental diversity. During the research, we identified 129 localities with the occurrence of 19 species and subspecies of orchids. We identify the main factors that threaten them and propose specific measures to protect vulnerable populations.

Himalayan Hotspot with Alien Weeds: A Case Study of Biological Spectrum, Phenology, and Diversity of Weedy Plants of High Altitude Mountains in District Kupwara of J&K Himalaya, India

Authentic certification, documentation, and ecological characterization of weed flora are of paramount importance for future studies that would help to formulate strategies for their management and conservation. Alien plants used to pose severe threats to ecosystems, and qualitative studies on weed flora in many interior regions of the Himalaya are still scarce. Patterns of species diversity, biological spectrum, and phenology of weeds growing in the Himalayas with invasive nature were investigated from 2017 to 2019 in thirty-eight localities of interior Kupwara district of Kashmir Himalaya from different agroecological zones. A hierarchical cluster analysis using the presence or absence data of flowering among plant species was performed and a complex Heatmap package was used. Data collected revealed a total of 158 plant species belonging to 115 genera and 35 families identified from a high altitude district Kupwara in India. The species distribution pattern across the families was unequal, with three families share more than half of the species documented, while fifteen families were monotypic. The family Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Brassicaceae were the most important weeds in terms of species abundance and species richness. Asteraceae represented by 35 species, as the dominant family followed by Poaceae with 19 species, and Brassicaceae by 14 species. In terms of functional trait diversity, the annual growth form was dominant over other forms such perennial or biannual. The phytogeographical analysis revealed that the maximum 91 species collected were native, while a minimum of 67 species reported as alien. Of the alien species, 25 were invasive, 35 naturalized, and 7 casual. The biological spectrum revealed the dominance of therophyte life form indicating the disturbed vegetation. The phenological spectrum revealed the maximum flowering period of weeds is between April and September where about 73% of species were observed in full bloom. This research adds an important way to the basic information of biodiversity patterns in the Himalayas and constitutes baseline data for the planned implementation of conservation. The outcomes also provide the baseline information on alien weeds, their invasive nature as well as in for better prediction of phenological shifts associated with these species due to contemporary climate change. It also would help to design conservation and management plans for threatened or otherwise important species for future implementation.

Phytogeographic of Bromelia L. (Bromeliaceae) in the State Paraiba Brazil

The Bromelia (Bromeliaceae) is part of the Poales taxonomic group, distributed in the Neotropical Ecosystems of South America, from sea level to altitudes of 5,000 meters in the Andes. In the Brazilian territory there were two settlements, one directly from the plateau of the Guianas and another across the Andes. The family stands out as one of the main taxa of the Brazilian flora, sheltering about 40% of the species of this family, in which 46 genera are recorded, of these 20 are endemic. In the state of Paraíba, because it has three distinct climatic regions, it originates a different phytogeographic distribution of this Family, so this study aims to perform a phytogeographic analysis of Bromelia L. (Bromeliaceae), to understand the distribution of the genus, registered in the state of Paraíba, eastern portion of the Northeast. Understand the gender distribution, registered in the state of Paraíba, eastern portion of the Northeast. In this study, two species, Bromelia karatas L. and Bromelia laciniosa Mart, were identified for the genus B. Karatas L. was found in the wetlands of Agreste and Litoral and also in the region of Sertão Paraíba state, in specific areas. Whereas, B. laciniosa, only in the regions of the Cariris Velhos, tectonic valley of the Curimataú and Seridó, that are inserted in the field of the Caatinga, but with influence of edaphoclimatic variabilities.