SURVEY AND BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF SOME COMMON ORNAMENTAL PLANTS IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY MINNA, BOSSO CAMPUS

Abstract

A survey of ornamental plants was carried out around Federal University of Technology Minna (FUTM)Bosso campus Niger State in May 2021. The survey was intended to obtained critical information about the ornamental plants that are used within the campus. Standard procedures were followed for the identification and description of the common ornamental plants. Original coloured photographs of the ornamental plants were also taken for proper documentations. These ornamental plants were then classified based on their relative abundance, mode of propagation, habits, parts associated with aesthetic and other uses aside for beautification. Thirty-five (35) ornamental plant species were identified; from the results obtained, it was deduced that Ixoracoccinea has the highest number recorded (1366) with percentage relative abundance of 27.293 % while the lowest in number was Cycasrevoluta (1) with percentage relative abundance of 0.020 %. It was also recorded that there are different mode of propagations for the ornamental plant species which include stem cuttings, by seed, by fruits, air layering, root cuttings, grafting and offshoot. These ornamental plants that are propagated by stem cuttings had the highest number with percentage of 31.429 % and the least mode of propagation was by grafting (2.857 %). The ornamental plants encountered based on their habits include trees (51.429 %) shrubs (31.429 %) and the least was herbs (2.857 %). Therefore, it was concluded that FUTMBosso campus is endowed with numerous ornamental plants that cut-across different forms of habits.