Eichhornia crassipes plant community in the Nile Delta (Egypt)
The Egyptian cultivated lands are irrigated almost permanently by the Nile River through a huge network of canals and drains. The floristic composition and plant communities, including weeds, of the irrigation and drainage canals have been studied in the Nile Delta region. A total number of 113 plant species belonging to 93 genera belonging to 36 families was found in a survey launched undertaken 2003 and 2005. The recorded species were mainly therophytes (48%) and geophytes (14%). The floristic analysis of the study area revealed the following composition: 48 Mediterranean species (42%), 22 Cosmopolitan species (20%), 15 Pantropical species (13%), 14 Paleotropical species (12%) and 5 Neotropical species (4%). A statistical analysis of the plant species recorded distinguished 5 vegetation groups. Of particular interest is the fact that among these 5 groups, one is dominated and characterized by Eichhornia crassipes (Pontederiaceae, EPPO A2 List) which attained the highest mean importance value. The species associated to this group are listed below with their origin according to the Germplasm Resources Information Network:
Species and family | Origin |
Alternanthera sessilis (Amaranthaceae) | Asia |
Arundo donax (Poaceae) | Asia |
Azolla filiculoides (Salviniaceae) (EPPO List of Invasive Alien Plants) | Americas |
Beta vulgaris (Amaranthaceae) | Africa, Asia, Europe |
Ceratophyllum demersum (Ceratophyllaceae) | Cosmopolitan |
Chenopodium glaucum (Amaranthaceae) | Asia, Europe, N-America. |
Chenopodium murale (Amaranthaceae) | Africa, Asia, Europe |
Conyza bonariensis (Asteraceae) | Pantropical |
Corchorus olitorius (Malvaceae) | Asia |
Cynanchum acutum (Apocynaceae) | Africa, Asia, Europe |
Cynodon dactylon (Poaceae) | Europe |
Cyperus alopecuroides (Cyperaceae) | Africa, Asia, Australasia, S-America |
Cyperus articulatus (Cyperaceae) | Africa, Asia, Australasia, Americas |
Cyperus rotundus (Cyperaceae) | Cosmopolitan |
Echinochloa stagnina (Poaceae) | Africa, Asia |
Eclipta prostrata (Asteraceae) | Americas |
Eichhornia crassipes (Pontederiaceae) (EPPO A2 List) | Americas |
Imperata cylindrica (Poaceae) | Asia, Africa, Europe, Australasia |
Ipomoea carnea (Convolvulaceae) | Americas |
Kochia indica (Amaranthaceae) | Asia |
Lemna gibba (Araceae) | Cosmopolitan |
Ludwigia stolonifera (Onagraceae) | Africa |
Mentha longifolia (Lamiaceae) | Africa, Asia, Europe |
Nymphaea caerulea (Nymphaeaceae) | Africa, Asia |
Paspalidium geminatum (Poaceae) | Africa, Asia, Americas |
Persicaria lapathifolia (Polygonaceae) | Africa, Asia, Europe |
Persicaria decipiens (Polygonaceae) | Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe |
Persicaria senegalensis (Polygonaceae) | Africa, Asia |
Phragmites australis (Poaceae) | Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, Americas |
Pistia stratiotes (Araceae, EPPO Alert List) | Africa, Asia, Australasia, Americas |
Pluchea dioscoridis (Asteraceae) | Africa |
Poa annua (Poaceae) | Europe |
Polypogon monspeliensis (Poaecae) | Africa, Asia, Europe |
Portulaca oleracea (Portulacaceae) | Tropical and subtropical |
Potamogeton crispus (Potamogetonaceae) | Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe |
Ranunculus sceleratus (Ranunculaceae) | Africa, Asia, Europe, N-America |
Rumex dentatus (Polygonaceae) | Asia, Europe |
Saccharum spontaneum (Poaceae) | Africa, Asia, Europe |
Setaria viridis (Poaceae) | Africa, Asia, Europe |
Solanum nigrum (Solanaceae) | Africa, Asia, Europe |
Sonchus oleraceus (Asteraceae) | Africa, Asia, Europe |
Sorghum virgatum (Poaceae) | Africa |
Spergularia marina (Caryophyllaceae) | Africa, Asia, Europe, N-America |
Symphyotrichum squamatum (Asteraceae) | S-America |
Typha domingensis (Typhaceae) | Cosmopolitan |
Verbena supine (Verbenaceae) | Africa, Asia, Europe |
Veronica anagallis-aquatica (Plantaginaceae) | Africa, Asia, Europe, S-America |
Sources
Mashaly IA, El-Habashy IE, El-Halawany EF, Omar G (2009) Habitat and plant communities in the Nile Delta of Egypt II. Irrigation and drainage canal bank habitat. Pakistan journal of Biological sciences 12: 885-895.
USDA, Germplasm Resources Information Network http://www.ars-grin.gov/