FLORISTIC INVENTORY, BIOLOGICAL SPECTRA AND INVASIVE FLORA OF TEHSIL UTMAN KHEL, DISTRICT BAJAUR, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The flora of Tehsil Utman Khel, District Bajaur comprised of total 238 plant species belonging to 208 genera and 89 families.  59 species were identified as Non-native species. The dominant family was Poaceae (17 species) which was followed by Asteraceae (15 species), Papilionaceae Rosaceae (13 species each), and Solanaceae (10 species). Habit of flora was led by herbs (149 species, 62.6%) followed by shrubs (46 species, 20%) and trees (43 species, 18%).  There were 177 wild species and 61 cultivated species. The leading life form were therophytes having 83 species and nanophanerophytes 49 species. Microphylls with 89 species, Mesophylls with 75 species and nanophylls with 43 species were the leading leaf size classes. Simple leaves (156 species, 65.55%) followed by compound leaves (18.91%), dissected leaves (10.51%) and needle leaves (3.78 %) were the documented leaf types.