Al-Asabah region, Ash Shamayatayn District, Taiz Governorate, Yemen

What is it about?

The present study deals with the floristic composition of the flora, life forms and phytogeographical affinities in Al-Asabah region, Ash Shamayatayn district, Taiz governorate, Yemen, during the year 2013. In this research 34 families, 63 genera and 82 taxa were identified. Among them were 6 species of Pteridophyta, while the remaining 76 taxa belong to Angiospermae. The dicots are represented by 72 taxa, whereas the monocots are represented by 4 species. The largest of the families include: Acanthaceae, Asclepiadaceae, Asteraceae and Euphorbiaceae (7 species for each) and Fabaceae (6 species). The genera represented by the greatest number of species are Acacia and Heliotropium (4 species for both). It was also noted that the generic index is 1.30. The chief life forms include Chamaephytes (50%), Phanerophytes (20.73%) and Geophytes (12.20%). The Sudano-Zambezian element dominates and forms the major component of the floristic structure. Results also reveal that sixteen taxa (19.51%) are endemic, among them are five taxa (6.10%) which are endemic to Yemen alone, while the remaining (13.41%) are near endemic to the flora of Yemen.

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Why is it important?

1. The vascular flora of Al-Asabah region includes 34 families, 63 genera and 82 specific and infraspecific taxa. Collection species are belong to Angiospermae except six species belong to Pteridophyta. 2. In the present study, higher percentage of Chamaephytes are recorded in the study area. 3. The flora of Al-Asabah region is closest to the Sudano-Zambezian element. 4. Only sixteen species recorded in the studied area are either endemic or near endemic to Yemen.

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