TAXONOMIC AND PALYNOLOGICAL DIVERSITY OF THE FAMILY PAPILIONACEAE IN THE FLORA OF SHISHI KOH VALLEY, CHITRAL, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The research project was conducted to study the diversity of family Papilionaceae in the flora of Shishi Koh Valley, Chitral. Plants were described on the basis of taxonomy and playnology. Family Papilionaceae was represented by thirty eight plants including thirty one species, three subspecies and four varieties. These plants belonged to ten tribes and fifteen genera. Among them Trifolieae was the dominant tribe with four genera i.e. Medicago, Trifolium, Melilotus and Trigonella. The dominant genus Medicago contributed five species and three varieties. Trifolium, Trigonella and Melilotus were represented by six, four and three species respectively. The next dominant tribes were Vicieae and Phaseoleae with seven and three species respectively. The remaining tribes were each represented by a single genus and species.genera, species and infra-specific categories has been assessed. Palynological study of ten species with wide distribution showed a considerable degree of pollen variation. Monad pollen mostly of ellipsoid and oblong shapes were the characteristics of all the specimens discussed so for. Pollen apertures were mostly zono and colpate. Common size class was mediae, exine sculpture was reticulate and symmetry