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-Bianquet 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—Digitara scalarum community, Imperata cylindrica—Setana 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.