The diversity of plant species on the Nsukka plateau, a derived savanna belt east of river
Niger in Enugu State of Nigeria was studied. The aim of the study was to determine the
influence of elevation and aspect on plant species diversity, species richness and species
distribution in a typical tropical landscape of the low latitudes. Precisely 100 plots of
20x20m quadrats were selected by stratified random sampling method and 98 different plant
species were enumerated. Sample plot environmental parameters of elevation and aspect
were determined in the field. The field data were subjected to Binary Discriminant Analysis
(BDA) and Principal Components Analysis (PCA). The result showed that elevation and
aspect significantly influence plant species diversity, species richness and species distribution
in the tropics even at low latitudes contrary to generally held view by scholars elsewhere.
The implications of the findings were highlighted to justify a paradigm shift in the
understanding, regard and teaching of biogeography and biodiversity of the tropical
environments.