The study of floral activities and flowering calendar of some selected plant taxa in Akoko environment, Ondo State, Nigeria

The patterns of phenological events of an area are variously used for characterization of the vegetation type. Phenological study has great significance because it does not only provide information about the plant growth pattern but it also provides an idea, baseline information and data on the effect of environment and selective pressure on flowering and fruiting behaviour among others. The determination of the floral activities of the flora present in the study environment was carried out using normal random distribution technique and results showed that fourty (40) plant taxa of the vegetation were sampled for various flowering periods in a calendar year and based on their flowering pattern, were placed into five main groups: those that flowered just once, twice, thrice, more than thrice in a calendar year and those that flower nearly all year round. Three (3) species were found to flower once; seven (7) species flower twice; three (3) species flower thrice; twenty-five (25) species flower more than thrice in a calendar year and the other two (2) species flowers nearly all year round. Most flowering activities were recorded in the months of January, February and March whereas the months of August, September and October recorded least flowering activities. Most interestingly, the flowering activities were recorded in all the twelve (12) months in a year calendar. Study provides knowledge about the plants flowering calendar and also gives an insight on the effect of environmental conditions with selective pressure on flowering affecting the behaviour of the plants species thus showing how food is produced throughout the year in the area.