A list of flowering wild plants in Tafila Province, Jordan

Wild flowering plants in Tafila Province (South of Jordan) in terms of floristic features, with regards to its wild vascular plants were studied. A list of wild flowering plants was prepared. Field trips were made to the study area. A total number of 383 species belong to 198 genera and 48 families were recorded. Wild trees like Cupressus sempervirens, Ceratonia siliqua, Quercus sp. (Oak) and Juniperus phoenica were reported . Some recorded species such as Anthemis maris- mortui, or the medicinal rare species such as Iris petrana and Iris nigricans , Salvadora persica , Osyris alba , Datura stramonium , Globularia Arabica and Amygdalus communis are considered as endemic to the area. A number of historical economic trees have been recorded in the study area like Pistacia atlantica; some edible species are reported like Malva sp., Allium sp., Gundelia tournefortii, etc. Some exotic plant species were reported like Iris species and Lupinus varius . Some endemic species were reported, e.g Iris petrana , rare plant species were also recorded, e.g, Globularia arabica, I. nigricans, Iris edomensis and Limonium sp. Plant examples are listed and some selected photos for some plant species from the study area are included.


INTRODUCTION
Jordan is characterized by a wide range of physical, geographic and ecological conditions which have resulted in a wide variety of palnt biodiversity. Despite its small area (about 89.287 km 2 ), Jordan's location at the crossroads of climatic and botanic regions has endowed the country with a rich variety of plant life. Jordan belongs to four biogeographical regions called Saharo -Arabian (Badia), Irano -Turanian, Mediterranean and Sudanian (tropical). The vascular plants of Jordan have been surveyed to assess the plant biological diversity in the country. The total number of plant species recorded in Jordan exceeds 2500 species (Al-Eissawi, 1982, 1996. Tafila province is situated in the southern part of Jordan; it represents three out of four biogeographical regions in Jordan. These regions are Mediterranean, Irano-Terranian and Tropical or Sudanian Penetration (Al-Eissawi, 1996). The rainfall ranges from 50-400 mm/year). The temperature ranges from (-5 -20°C) in winter and (20 -33°C) in summer (Al-Eissawi, 1996).
The study area is characterized by its highly diversified plant species (Oran et al., 2002). The forest formation extends from Tafila to Ras-An-Naqab in the south. The whole forest ecosystem has suffered a great deal of human interaction. Therefore, vast areas were destroyed and almost have no forest vegetation except for randomly distributed remnants of degraded few wild trees. The best stand of this forest can be seen in the north of Tafila. The stand since 1992 has been announced as National Park and named Dana. The Juniperus forest formation is dominated by the leading species of Juniperus phoenica associated with Cupressus sempervirens on sand stone formation. In upper altitude, over 1300 m of the Juniperus vascular plants of Tafila province. The recorded species include herbs, shrubs and trees. E-mail: oransaw@ju.edu.jo. Tel: +962-6-5355000 or +962-777483616.
forest is overtopped by a forest formation of evergreen Oak forest dominated by Quercus coccifera. Ceratonia siliqua (Karoob) was discovered within the Dana Reserve and on sand stone formation. Dana reserve has been established in Dana village as conservational mature (AL-Eisawi, 1996). This study provides a list of the flowering

Study aims
The study area was investigated for its plant diversity in an attempt to: 1. Survey, identify and conserve wild plant species in Tafila area. 2. Identify the wild natural resources in the study area. 3. Investigate the plant diversity potentials of the area. 4. Offer recommendations and mitigation measures to ecologically rehabilitate the study area in the future.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Field trips and collection of plant specimens:

Plant material
In this inventory, botanical survey and extensive field trips were made in the study area for the period of 2008-2009. Collections of fresh plant specimens were made. The identification of plants was done based on a) Flora Palaestina (parts 1, 2, 3 and 4) (Zohary, 1966;Feinbrun-Dothan, 1986). b) Flora Orientalis. Boissier, P. E. (1867Boissier, P. E. ( -1883. c) List of Jordan Vascular Plants (Al-Eisawi, 1982. d) Checklist of the Flora: Jordan Badia (Cope amd Al-Eisawi, 1998). e) Checklist of wild edible plants in Jordan (AL-Eisawi and Takruri, 1989). f) Comparison with similar herbarium specimens at the University of Jordan.

Illustrations
Photographs were taken on some leading herbs, shrubs and trees or the plant species that are dominating the overall total plants. All photographs were produced by the author.

Tables
A list of recorded species was provided.

Voucher specimens
Herbarium specimens (voucher specimen) were deposited at Amman Herbarium (AMM), Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Jordan. Amman. Each of the collected specimens is given a serial number, properly identified and mounted on herbarium cabinets as a documented reference for further investigations.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Tafila Province, Jordan is one of the most diverse regions in Jordan in terms of its phytogeographical variation and its high botanical diversity in terms of the number of plant species recorded Figure 1 to 3. The majority of plant species recorded in the study area is facing the danger of loss and degradation, as the area is severely exposed to either man impact or environmental damaging factors. Some of these are the overgrazing; cutting of other old historical trees and collection of herbs for medicine and other irrational activities of the residents of the province populations of that area. Lot of the listed plant species are important genetic resources for their use as parents of cultivars, ornamental, medicinal plants, drought resistant, saline resistant, which can be used for the benefit of human kind. This study showed that this province has suffered severely from deforestation due to lack of any natural forest cover in spite of presence of natural environmental conditions needed for such ecosystem, and due to the irrational activities of the local community.

Recommendations
Plant biodiversity faces the danger of degradation and loss of many plant species as a result of both adverse human impact and environmental factors as it happens in Tafila province of Jordan. Changes in plant resources can directly reduce sources of food, fuel, structural materials and medicinal or genetic resources. Moreover, these changes are occurring at an unnaturally rapid rate as a consequence of human activities, such as land-use, climate change, nitrogen deposition, species introductions, increase in population, over exploitation of plant and animal species, pollution of soil, water and air. Biodiversity in Jordan was exposed to several threats leading to sharp decline in most of the Jordanian flora and the extinction of several species. Many species are at risk, or were classified as threatened or endangered or even extinct on the regional and global levels. This situation has resulted from various anthropogenic activities, as well as from a general lack of knowledge and awareness (Al-Eisawi et al., 2000). Yet serious attempts have been made to protect and conserve the plant genetic resources of the country. Many reserves have been established, but the laws and regulations governing them are not always enforced and dozens of species are facing dramatic pressure (EPA, 2001). As there is critical situation is Tafila province where hundreds of wild plant species are facing the threat of degradation, more attention from the authorities is needed.     Research, University of Jordan for the financial support and Miss. Asma Bzour, research assistant for her sincere assistant in the work.