Checklist of the aquatic macrophytes of Jebba Lake, Nigeria

Abstract

The occurrence and diversity of aquatic macrophytes on Jebba Lake were documented during the rainy and dry
seasons from 1999 to 2001. Analyses showed that the species diversity increased by 20, from 26 in 1988 to 46 in 2001. The number of species encountered during the dry and wet seasons during the period of sampling
between 1999 and 2001 differed only marginally. The emergent macrophytes formed 93.3% of the total macrophyte population with the dominant species irrespective of season being Vossia cuspidata Griff.,  Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, Mimosa pigra Linn, Vetiveira nigritana (Benth.) Stapf, and Mariscus longibracteatus Cherm., Sesbania dalzielii. E. Philip & Hutch. which is an annual, was found to be dominant only during the rainy period.

Key words: Aquatic Macrophytes, Diversity, Abundance, Vossia cuspidata, Eichhornia crassipes, Sesbania dalzielii.