Hydrophytes of the Nile in Egypt

Abstract

The vascular freshwater weeds of the River Nile in Egypt comprises 87 species of flowering plants, belonging to 45 genera and 25 families. Out of these, 12 are dicots and 13 are monocots. In addition there are 3 pteridophytes, viz. Azolla filiculoides, Marsilea aegyptiaca and M. capensis. Cyperaceae is represented by 19 species followed by Gramineae (15 species), Lemnaceae and Potamogetonaceae (6 species each), Najadaceae (4 species), 3 species belong to each of 6 families and 2 species belonging to each of 3 families. The other families are represented by only one species. Habitat wise, submerged hydrophytes are represented by 21 species (11 genera and 9 families), free floating hydrophytes by 9 species (6 genera and 4 families), fixed floating by 5 species (4 genera and 4 families) whereas emergent hydrophytes are represented by the highest number of species (54), in 28 genera and 13 families. The aquatic vegetation of the Nile in Egypt is classified under 36 communities dominated by 8 submerged, 9 floating and 19 emergent species. The distribution of these communities and their floristic composition as well as the impact of the establishment of Aswan High Dam (1965) is discussed.