EFFECT OF ALTITUDINAL VARIATIONS ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF NEPETA SEPTEMCRENATA IN SAINT KATHERINE PROTECTORATE, SOUTH SINAI, EGYPT.

A study was carried out on a wild herb Nepeta septemcrenata Benth. (Family : Lamiaceae) in Saint Katherine Protectorate, South Sinai, Egypt to assess the effect of altitude (1400 to 2200 m above mean sea level) on plant distribution, morphological parameters, soil component and grazing pressure. The results show that elevation influence on physical and chemical properties of soil. Water content show great variation among different elevation ranks. Plant traits also affected by elevation gradient. Results found that N.septemcrenata cover, Importance value, Number of individuals and internodes length increased positively with elevation while species richness decreases. Plant width, height and No. of branches also affected by elevation gradient and show highest values at elevation between 2000-2200 m.