PHENOLOGICAL STUDY OF FLORA OF DISTRICT SWABI, KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA (PAKISTAN)

Abstract

This study was conducted in District Swabi in eight selected sites/stands during 2019- 2020. A total of 237 plant species were studied in these sites/stands. Phenological behavior of each plant species was observed in field and recorded every month of the year. The result revealed that maximum number of species (20.2%) were recorded in vegetative stage in February, in flowering stage (28.2%) in March, in fruiting stage (28.2%) in April and in post reproductive stage (27%) in June. Least number of species (1 species; 0.4%) were found in vegetative stage in September, in flowering stage (1 species; 0.4%) in December, in fruiting stage (1 species; 0.4%) in January and in post reproductive stage (2 species; 0.8%) in April. There were 83 species found in vegetative stage in spring followed by 82 species in winter, 67 species in summer and 5 species in autumn. In flowering stage, 121 species were recorded in spring followed by 63 species in summer, 46 species in autumn and 7 species in winter. In fruiting stage, 88 species were recorded in spring followed by 72 species each in summer and autumn and 5 species in winter. Similarly, 91 species were found in post reproductive stage in summer followed by 82 species in autumn, 56 species in winter and 8 species in spring. It was observed that spring was the peak flowering season followed by summer while spring was the peak fruiting season followed by summer and autumn.