Floristic diversity of Loranthaceae Family and their potential host species in Sudano-sahelian zone of Cameroon: case of Diamare plain in Far-North Region

Abstract

There is an increasing interest in parasitic plants and infectious disease community ecology in intertropical regions. The study examined the floristic diversity of Loranthaceae family and their potential host species in the ecoregion of Diamare plain in Cameroon. Reasoned sampling method was performed and experimental device consisted of 02 main treatments (Diamare and Mayo-Kani divisions), 08 secondary treatments (councils) and 32 replications (villages), with four (04) villages per council. We used itinerary botanical survey method of 1000 m x 20 m in each village, totalizing 64 ha and all parasitic plants and their potential hosts were inventoried. A total of 11 645 ligneous individuals was inventoried in the Diamare division, distributed within 65 species, 44 genera, and 22 Families. In Mayo-Kani division, a total of 16 645 ligneous individuals were inventoried, distributed in 58 species, 41 genera and 19 families. There was a significant difference between the two divisions in terms of individuals (p < 0.001). In total, nine parasitic plants of the Loranthaceae family were inventoried, with five species identified at the level of species (55.55%) and four species at the level of genera (44.44%): Agelanthus dodoneifolius (DC.) Polh. and Wiens, Tapinanthus globiferus (A. Rich.) Van Tiegh., Tapinanthus oleifolus (JC. Wendl.) Danser; Tapinanthus voltensis Van Tiegh. ex Balle; Tapinanthus ophiodes (Sprague) Danser, Tapinanthus sp1., Tapinanthus sp2., Tapinanthus sp3. and Phragmanthera sp. Agelanthus dodoneifolius, Tapinanthus globiferus and T. ophiodes recorded a weak parasitic specificity (PSp = 81.39%; 72.09% and 30.23% respectively). Combretaceae and Mimosaceae families showed the greatest number of sensitive host species to Loranthaceae infestation (20.89% and 16.27% respectively). There was no significant difference between parasitic specificity of Loranthaceae and parasitic sensitivity of host species (p > 0.05), and both were positively correlated (r = 0.96). Efforts are required to control the development of Loranthaceae in sudano-sahelian zone especially in ecosystem plantations.

Keywords: Floristic diversity, Loranthaceae, host species, Diamare plain, Cameroon