DIVERSITY AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF WEEDS OF WHEAT FIELDS OF UNIVERSITY OF PESHAWAR BOTANICAL GARDEN AT AZAKHEL, DISTRICT NOWSHERA, PAKISTAN

Sixty two species of weeds including 15 monocots and onepteridophyte of 24 families were recorded for the first timeas weeds of wheat in the University of Peshawar BotanicalGarden at Azakhel, District Nowshera, Pakistan. Poaceaehad the highest number of species (15 sp., 24.19%),followed by Asteraceae (8 sp., 12.90%), Brassicaceae andPapilionaceae (each with 5 sp.). The remaining families had4 or less than 4 species. Therophytes (53 sp, 85.48) andnanophylls (25 sp., 40.32%) were the major life form andleaf size classes. Phenological studies indicated that 95%weeds were in vegetative phase during January whilealmost 61 and 26% were in flowering and fruiting stage,respectively during March. All species were infruiting/dispersal phase during April. Soils in various siteswere silty-loam to loam in texture.