Profile of the Medicinal and Economic Plants of Laspur Valley Chitral, Pakistan

Abstract

The inhabitants of Laspur valley of Chitral have always been used plant resources for medicine, human and other animals food, vegetable, housing, timber, condiment, facial mask, fuel, ornamental and other multi purposes, from many years ago. A total of 212 species belonging to 55 families including 2 gymnosperms families (4 species), 5 monocots families (24 species) as well as 48 dicots families (184 species) have been recorded from the research area during 2013-2014. Family Asteraceae contributed the greatest number of species (30), after that Fabaceae (20 species), Poaceae (15 species), Brassicaceae (14 species), Rosaceae (12 species), Apiaceae (9 species), Solanaceae, Ranunculaceae and Salicaceae (each with 7 species), Lamiaceae (6 species), Polygonaceae (5 species), Amaranthaceae and Malvaceae (each with 4 species) and Cupressaceae, Boraginaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Cucarbitaceae, Grossulariaceae, Cyperaceae and Alliaceae (each with 3 species). All the other families are represented by less than 3 species. Ethnobotanically 155 plants were used as fodder including gymnosperms with one species and angiosperms with 154 species (135 dicots and 19 monocots), medicinal 100 species including 2 species of gymnosperms and 98 species of angiosperms (89 dicots and 9 monocots), fire wood 47 species including 4 gymnosperms and 43 angiosperms, vegetables 36 species of angiosperms, ornamental 31 species among which gymnosperms have one species and 30 species in an angiosperms (27 dicots and 3 monocots), timber 17 species including one species of gymnosperms and 16 species of angiosperms, fruit 10 species of angiosperms, facial mask/facial cream 10 species (9 angiosperms and 1 gymnosperm). Habit wise 157 plant species are recorded as herbs, 32 species as shrubs while 23 species trees. Totally 85 plants are cultivable and 127 plants are wild. During collection most of the plants are uprooted due to unawareness among communities. So there is a crucial need of conservation and protection of flora.