Foodplain vegetation in the Nxaraga Lagoon area, Okavango Delta, Botswana

The phytosociology and patterns of vegetation distribution of the seasonal floodplains were studied. Cover-abundance data were collected from a total of 200 sample plots and captured in TURBO(VEG), a software package for input and processing and presentation of phytosociological data. Application of the Braun-Blanquet methods of vegetation survey followed by a polythetic divisive classification technique (TWINSPAN) resulted in the delineation of eight vegetation communities of which five were further divided into sub-communities. The eight communities are Cyperus articulatus-Schoenoplectus corymbosus community, Alternanthera sessilis-Ludwigia stolonifera community, Vetiveria nigritana-Setaria sphacelata community, Miscanthus junceus-Digitaria scalarum community, Imperata cylindrica-Setaria sphacelata community, Paspalidium obtusifolorum-Panicum repens community, Setaria sphacelata-Eragrostis inamoena community and Sporobolus spicatus community. All plant communities are related to specific flooding regime namely time and duration of inundation.